Desire
by Judy1998
Summary: A girl can desire for a boy she can lean on; a boy can desire a girl he'll love forever. When Edward accidentally bumps into Bella at school, he is immediately attracted to her. But even after they end up together, Bella doesn't seem to feel the same way he does. Will he be able to capture the heart of the girl he loves? Or will he always be an elder brother...and nothing more?
1. Chapter 1: First Day

**Author's Note: So! Here is the first chapter to _Desire_! I hope you all enjoy it!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.**

* * *

**Chapter 1**

**Bella's Point of View**

"But Dad, I don't want to move to New York," I whined. "I want to stay here in Forks."

Charlie, my father, looked up from the box he'd been taping shut. He looked amused. "Bella, you hate Forks."

"I do not," I said, frowning. "You're wrong. I love Forks."

"Bella, don't lie," he said, chuckling as he turned to another empty box. He began to put in all the books we had into it neatly. "You hate the cold weather."

"I may hate the cold weather," I defended myself. "But I love Forks. It's where I grew up. Dad, please. Let's not move to New York. Let's stay here."

"We have to move to New York, Bells," Charlie said. "They transferred me to New York so I could be the Chief of Police there. It's like a promotion. We're lucky that I was able to have connections with the mayor of New York City."

"Connections," I said in a low voice. "Those connections are tearing me away from my hometown."

"Bella," Charlie said wearily. "If we move to New York, we'll have a better life. I'll bring in more money, and you'll get a better education. Plus, those Ivy Leagues will be nearer. It's your dream to go to one, isn't it? Well, if you do go to one, I don't want to be so far from you. Those flights are pricey."

"I'd rather live in Florida," I pouted. "I'll leave you and go live with Mom."

Charlie looked at me again. "That's not funny, Bells. What would I do without you?"

"Dad," I began whining again. "Please? Can't we stay here? Or can't _I_ stay here?"

"You're only afraid of going to a new school again, Bella," Charlie said wisely. "You don't want to have to make friends all over again. I'm right, aren't I?"

"Of course," I said, my eyes widening. "Of course that's the reason, Dad. You know how bad I am at making new friends. I'm shy and reserved that it's hard for me to open up to anyone easily. And besides, think of my clumsiness. I'll die in a huge place like New York."

"How did you survive in Phoenix?" Charlie asked dryly. "How'd you live through the summer in Jacksonville with your mother? I think you'll live, Bella."

"Dad!"

"That's enough, Bella," he said. "Are you done packing? We're leaving tomorrow, you know. Don't do it at the last minute, and make sure you're done tonight. Our flight is at ten in the morning, so go to sleep early tonight."

Genuinely upset, I bit my lip and walked away to my bedroom. It looked wrong, seeing its walls empty of all the pictures of my family and friends. Boxes were stacked everywhere, and my closet was empty. The only normal thing that hadn't changed was my bed, and even _that_ looked abnormal tonight.

I plopped down on the bed, defeated. Forget it. I was never going to convince him. I was going to move to New York with my father, the new Chief of Police in New York City, and I was never coming back to my hometown. Where all my friends were.

I'd lived here ever since I was fourteen. I was seventeen now, and in the past three years, I'd grown used to its dreary weather and small capacity. I didn't want to leave.

My parents were divorced. My mother, Renee lived in Jacksonville, Florida with my stepfather, Phil. I'd lived with them ever since my mother had taken me away from Charlie at the age of two. But since Phil played ball for a living and moved around a lot, I decided to come live with my father so that Renee could travel with him.

I was going to miss all my friends. I would have to start all over again in New York. Make new friends, make good impressions on all my teachers, achieve good grades.

But as New York was a huge city, I knew that the high school Charlie had enrolled me in would be big too. I was already giving up trying to make new friends there. There was no way they would be welcoming to a pale, shy new girl like me.

I was going to concentrate on surviving high school in New York instead.

* * *

"You nervous?" Charlie asked as we ate breakfast in the dining room at our new house in New York. "It's the first day of school."

"Tired," I mumbled, playing around with my cereal.

It was true, after all. We'd been unpacking all our things ever since Saturday, when we'd arrived, and we'd just finished the chore yesterday at ten in the evening. Then there'd been the cleaning and mopping. I was exhausted, but mainly, I was worried about a new school year in a new, unfamiliar school.

Charlie chuckled. He was wearing his new uniform. His badge glistened and read: _Chief of Police_. And underneath: _New York City_.

"It'll be fine, Bella," he said reassuringly. "I have a really good feeling about New York. Really," he added when I raised my eyebrow at him. "I don't know why; I can't explain it. But I really do have a good feeling. So try to feel optimistic as well. You'll be fine."

Sighing, I rose and placed my half-empty bowl of cereal in the sink. "I'm going to be late."

"See you later," Charlie called as I left the house.

I started my new, used car that Charlie had gotten for me. It was a Toyota, and a bit old. It was about ten years old, and the paint was peeling off. But I didn't care. At least it was a car, and the engine ran great.

I drove to my new school without getting stuck in New York traffic. I found it easily, as it was the biggest school in the whole state of New York, a fact that didn't exactly encourage me. As I parked and headed toward the office, the name of the school seemed to stand out as the black letters on the side of the main building loomed over me: _South View High School_.

I took a deep breath as I went inside the office. At least I wouldn't be the only one who was new. As it was a new school year, there would probably be new students, transferring from other schools as well.

"Hello," I said, approaching the receptionist.

She looked up, smiling. "May I help you?" The name plate on her desk told me that her name was Mrs. Cole.

"I'm new here," I informed her, and her eyes lit up in comprehension.

She began rifling through a file on her desk. "Name?"

"Isabella Swan."

"Here you are," Mrs. Cole said, looking pleased as she pulled out a file on me. "Isabella Marie Swan…let's see now…"

Within ten minutes, I came back out of the office with a map of the huge school and a copy of my schedule. The first bell rang, and I headed toward my first class.

My morning classes went by uneventfully. Then, after a short break, I went through my afternoon classes. During lunch, I avoided the large groups of jocks and cheerleaders at a lunch table, and sat alone in the corner of the cafeteria. And after the last two periods, my first day at South View High was over. There was one thing that was nice about going to a huge school in a huge city. Nobody noticed if you were new, unlike Forks.

Relieved, I rushed out to my car after stopping by to collect the things I needed from my locker. As I slid inside, I couldn't help but notice a small crowd of girls – mostly in cheerleading outfits – gathering near a shiny, silver Volvo.

Curious, I watched as I turned the key in the ignition. They began freaking out soon enough when they someone coming.

It was a tall young man with messy, bronze hair. He was extremely handsome; he could've been a movie star. I watched as he walked with his eyes trained on the ground, looking frustrated about something. He barely glanced at his fan club as he slid inside the Volvo and started the car. I guess he was used to them.

The girls looked disappointed as the Volvo passed them. I wondered who that boy was. He'd definitely looked older than I was.

* * *

"So how was your first day?" one of my friends from Forks, Claire, asked.

I was stirring soup as I was talking to her on the phone. "It was uneventful, I guess. Nothing much happened. You?"

"You know Forks," Claire said, and I could almost see her rolling her eyes. "It's so boring here. I really envy you. I can't believe you're going to school in New York. And you're actually living there! I've always wanted to go to New York."

"Trust me, the buildings are pretty to see at night and everything's tall and busy, but it's really nothing. You get used to it after two days, believe it or not." I sighed. "I miss Forks already."

"You're crazy," Claire said, laughing. "How can you miss a place like Forks when you live in New York? Any hot guys in your school?"

"Ugh, you're always thinking about boys," I complained. "You and Emily and Kim… Just get yourselves a boyfriend like you want."

"That's easier said than done," Claire mumbled. "It's hard to find someone in a small town like this. Do you still not want a boyfriend of your own, Bella? I mean we're juniors now."

"No, I told you. I only want a shoulder to lean on. Like an older brother that I never had."

"I'm sure you'll find someone," Claire said. "New York has tons of people."

"Bella?" The front door closed, and Charlie's voice rang throughout the house.

"Oh, you're dad's there," Claire said. "We'll talk again soon, okay? Bye."

"Bye, Claire."

"Oh, hey, honey," Charlie said, having found me in the kitchen. "How was school?"

"Okay. How was your first day at work?"

"Pretty nice, I think," he said, grinning. "Everyone's respectful to me and it's really weird having a lot of people report to me."

I smiled as I set the table. "Get used to it."

"So anything fun happen? What about friends? Did you make any of those?"

"Not really."

"Why not?" Charlie asked as he sat down to eat. "No one's nice?"

"I'm sure they're all nice, Dad," I said, sitting as well. "It's just…well, I was mainly focusing on trying to get through my first day."

Charlie raised his eyebrow. "I see. But you can't live like that forever, Bells. Why don't you talk to some kids tomorrow? Get to know each other."

"I'll try," I promised.

**Edward's Point of View**

The first day of school always dragged. It was boring, and there was nothing to do. Nothing to distract me from the bitterness of my life.

Every day, it was the same. People wanted to be my friend just because of who I was. Girls wanted me because I was rich and handsome. And it was exhausting.

My family was famous. We've been famous generations before, and we were famous now. My father, Carlisle, ran the family company now, like his father had done before him. He was a part-time doctor, but he was always obedient in the rules of the Cullen family. The Cullen Corporation and its founder's family were a priority.

My mother, Esme, had also been from a rich family. She was the only child of the Platt Enterprises, and therefore, the company had merged with Cullen Corporations when my parents had gotten married.

My life was perfect. Anyone would've killed to be me. To have a family like me, to have a background like me. But that was to the public. To know that I was actually miserable, you had to really know what was going on with my family.

It was tradition for the Cullens to have an heir before the age of thirty. The heir married early, normally with another rich company's heir so that business relationships could be tied. And later, when the heir was old enough, he or she would take over their father.

And I was going through the same crisis this very moment. I was eighteen and a senior in high school, and I was already being pressured to marry someone I didn't love. From my family's own company.

The board of directors at Cullen Corps. were very strict about the tradition. It had been our rules, part of our family, for generations now. Nobody dared to break it.

But I really wanted to. I didn't think an arranged marriage was right. This was the twenty-first century. Who married because their parents forced you nowadays? No, I wanted to marry for love. I wanted to find someone that I really, truly loved. Someone I actually cared about.

It had been easy for my parents. Though they'd both been from rich families, _they_ had actually fallen in love. They'd been lucky. _I_ wasn't.

My parents were afraid of what I wanted. They were afraid that I would refuse to be named the heir of the Cullen family. And I would've too, if my parents hadn't suggested to bargain with me, desperate to keep me in line.

Instead of finding a nice, rich girl from another huge company, they agreed to give me one year to find a girl that I liked. And even that was breaking the rules. The heir was supposed to have a fiancée by the age of eighteen.

I was already eighteen. And six months had already passed.

I was running out of time. If I didn't find someone soon, everyone would pressure me to marry a rich girl who would adore to marry me. Of course, my parents and Cullen Corps. had never expected me to find someone. A year to find someone that you loved insanely? It just wasn't possible. They just wanted to shut me up.

I didn't want to be miserable my entire life, imprisoned to a girl who only wanted me for my body. So though I knew it was impossible, I knew I had to try.

For the millionth time in my life, I wished I wasn't so rich and famous.

* * *

"Hi, Edward!" a couple cheerleaders chorused, giggling as they waved in their way too short cheerleading outfits.

I ignored them. They should know better than to acknowledge me already. For the past three years, I've been ignoring them. I was cold and distant. I'd dated some girls before, but they'd never lasted long.

I wasn't that cold to my friends. Those who actually knew the real me knew that I was playful and warm. I was caring and loyal, but the bargain I'd made with my parents had been driving me nuts these past six months. Luckily, all my friends understood and encouraged me to keep trying.

The cheerleaders all pouted as I passed them without even looking once at them.

With my hands in my pockets, I strolled through the hallway, thinking of nothing. I was always blank and expressionless these days, miserable with my own life.

"Hey, Edward!" Austin Marks, one of my friends, came running up to me. He threw an arm around my shoulder and began walking with me briskly. "How come you didn't come to the football tryouts yesterday? You know they always take place before the first day of school."

I shrugged nonchalantly. "Didn't feel like it."

"Dude, you've been quarterback for two years," Austin said, frowning. "Coach wasn't happy that you weren't there. He told me to find you after morning training today. He _demands_ that I find you." He rolled his eyes. "He was quite dramatic, as usual."

"You can tell Coach to stop looking for me," I said. "I'm not trying out for football this year."

"Why not?" Austin asked, surprised. "You've been on the team for the past three years, Edward. If you do it senior year as well, that'll look good on your college apps."

I glanced at him, amused. As if I would need good grades and extracurriculars to get into a good college. "I know."

"Then how come?" he asked. "Oh, wait, I know. Don't tell me you're still sulking about that deal you made your parents."

"What else is knew?" I asked bitterly. "It's pointless, man. They knew it was impossible when they made me the deal."

"I'm sorry, man," Austin said sympathetically. "But don't give up yet. You still have six months."

"Look, Austin," I said. "Let's face it. I've got as much chance of finding someone good as Alice becoming a famous fashion designer."

"A very good chance, then."

"You really think she can become an internationally famous designer?" I asked, snorting. "Right."

"You have to admit it, bro," Austin said, smiling. "Alice has got talent. She'll become one. And you'll find someone too. Don't worry so much. Lighten up. Come to the last-minute tryouts after school today. I'm sure Coach will put you back in the quarterback position without even seeing you run."

"I told you. I'm not doing football anymore. I've given up."

"Man, what's wrong with you?" Austin asked, exasperated. "You've given up football, you don't care about keeping your family's tradition in order, and you've practically given up on finding someone to marry! Why don't you just go kill yourself, eh?"

"Austin," I said, giving him a look. "Go to sixth period. You'll be late."

He sighed. "Fine. I'll tell Coach. Though I'm sure he'll come looking for you personally afterward. See ya."

I sighed as I kept walking to my career prep classroom. "Bye."

He was right. I'd practically given up after six months. Why didn't I just go kill myself?

Oh, that's right. Because the entire world wouldn't let me. Why did I even bother asking?

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**AN: Of course, the first few chapters will be boring. But bear with me for a while. It'll get better. Thank you so much, and reviews, please!**


	2. Chapter 2: Amusement

**Author's Note: So…we've got ten reviews on the first chapter. Not bad, I guess. Here's the next chapter for you. Maybe I'll get a better respond on this one. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.**

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**Chapter 2**

**Bella's Point of View**

Though I'd promised Charlie that I'd try to look for a friend, I didn't feel like it. And today, instead of sitting alone at the corner of the lunchroom, I spent the lunch hour in the library, doing my homework. Junior year was no joke. I was already getting stacks of homework from all my teachers.

I was mumbling quietly to myself about AP United States History as I took notes when someone sat across from me.

I looked up, surprised. The whole table had been empty, and no one had dared to approach the new girl. I'd probably looked like a nerd, so focused on studying. Who would be idiotic enough to sit at the same table?

But she didn't look idiotic at all. In fact, she looked very friendly and nice. She was pretty too. Intelligent looking. She set down the same AP History textbook on the table and sat in the chair, smiling at me.

"Hi," she said. She seemed to have a quiet voice in general. "It's okay if I sit here, right?"

I nodded slowly before returning to my notes.

"I'm Angela Weber," she said. "You're new, aren't you?"

I looked up again. She was still smiling pleasantly at me, waiting patiently for me to answer. I nodded again.

"I think you're in my APUSH class," she said, nodding at my book.

I decided that I should actually say something. After all, she was obviously trying to get to know me. I was being rude.

"I think I might have seen you…once or twice," I said slowly.

She smiled even more widely, pleased that I was talking to her now. "And who are you?"

"Isabella Swan," I said. "But I like being called Bella."

"Nice to meet you, Bella," Angela said. "You're a junior, right? So am I."

"Nice to meet you as well, Angela," I said, smiling slightly. Maybe I was going to get myself a friend after all.

She grinned before opening up her textbook.

Though I didn't know her that well yet, I took an immediate liking to her. She seemed to like the comfortable silence as I much as I did.

**Edward's Point of View**

I was walking to my car at the end of the day when I heard my name. I turned, and wished I hadn't.

"Edward!" the football coach huffed. He stopped in front of me. "I'm glad I caught you."

For someone who was a coach, he wasn't exactly in good shape. I fought back a small smile and said, "What's up, Coach? Did you have a nice vacation in Jamaica like you always do?"

"Nah, went to Hawaii instead," Coach said, grinning. "Thought we might change the tradition a bit. What about you, son? That bargain you made your parents getting any better?"

I looked down as I shuffled my feet. "The usual, I guess."

"I'm sorry, kid," Coach said sympathetically. "But don't give up. You still have, what, six months left? That's more than enough time."

I gave him a small smile. "I've given up. There's no point. I'm just going to enjoy the rest of my six months before I have to marry some girl I don't even know."

Coach frowned. "Crazy Cullen traditions… Why does it have to be eighteen? Why can't it be twenty-eight?"

I laughed bitterly. "Ask my ancestors."

"When the time comes," he said wisely, "the girl that's meant for you will come. Just don't think about it. Surprises always come to you when you least expect it. And I speak from experience, son."

I nodded. "I'll keep that in mind, sir."

"Anyway, Austin just told me that you're not trying out for football this year," Coach said, frowning. "Why not? You're the best player I've ever trained, Edward. You can't just give up. You can even get a football scholarship if you do it again this year."

I exhaled slowly, looking thoughtful. "I don't know. Football takes up so much time."

"Is this about that deal you made your parents? What, you need more time to look for a girl? I thought you just said that you've given up."

I looked at him amusedly. "I did. It's not that. I'm just tired of running around, I guess."

"What are you talking about?" Coach said. "What about those cheerleaders, eh? What will _they_ do if their favorite player's not on the team? And your teammates, who totally relied on the quarterback the past two years? We'll be laughed at this season! They'll be so bad!"

"I'm flattered, Coach. But I-"

"And if I don't get you back on the team, I'll probably get fired," Coach said, looking horrified. "Holy cow, Edward, you've gotta save my job. Come on, come try out. The tryouts are going on right now."

"Coach, how are you going to survive next year without me?" I pointed out. "If you want to keep the team's reputation, then you might as well start training them hard and teach them to not rely on the quarterback from now on."

He scratched his beard. "True."

"I just want more time by myself," I said. "I'm not doing any extracurriculars this year. Besides, I need the extra time to train for Cullen Corps."

"So you're just going to bomb your senior year?" Coach laughed. "You've been doing so well, kid. Straight A's. Tons of community service and extracurriculars. Those colleges were bound to come after you."

"Please, Coach," I said, rolling my eyes. "I don't need good grades on my record to get into a good college."

He sighed. "I guess you're right. If you have the money, you can do anything."

I smiled wistfully. "Sorry, Coach. Good luck in training the team."

He waved, having given up, as I walked toward my car.

"Hi, Edward!" the cheerleaders chorused as I passed by their cars. Cheerleading uniforms hadn't been required today, I noticed, but their clothes weren't much different. Showy, slutty, and thin. Typical.

I ignored them like I usually did. Why did they even try anymore?

I'd just reached my car when an unfamiliar Toyota came driving around the corner. Curious, I stopped and watched. Was the student new to South View High? I thought I knew every car in this school.

The girl behind it had long, wavy, mahogany hair. She was extremely pale, like she had no blood in her, and she looked wary of hitting someone accidentally.

I stifled a laughter as she passed me. If I didn't know any better, I'd say that she was an outsider. Someone who didn't fit in.

My eyes widened slightly in surprise when I realized that I was actually laughing. I frowned. I was never interested in outsiders. I was never mean to them, but I didn't really care about them either.

Then why had the girl been so amusing to me?

* * *

**AN: I understand that since it's the beginning, it's a bit boring. The first few chapters are there to explain how Edward and Bella are trying to get used to their surrounding current situations. They'll meet soon, though, I promise. So…reviews, please!**


	3. Chapter 3: Attraction

**Author's Note: The next chapter! Sorry it's so boring, but remember, it's info chapters in the beginning. I think this one will be interesting though. Enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.**

* * *

**Chapter 3**

**Bella's Point of View**

With my new best friend, Angela, by my side, going to school in a new school didn't seem so bad. In fact, the days seem to fly by faster, and for that, I was grateful.

I had other friends now too. Angela had introduced me to her other friends, Jessica Stanley and Lauren Mallory, who were also cheerleaders. Lauren didn't particularly like me for some reason, and Jessica gossiped a lot and pretended that she cared for me. But I'd had experience in these kinds of girls before. I knew that they didn't like me.

Still, I didn't want to fight or start anything. So I merely pretended to be dull. And I think I had them fooled into thinking that I didn't know anything.

I hadn't realized that Angela was a part of the popular crowd. She was quiet and reserved, like me. She studied a lot and was unbelievably kind to everyone. And most of all, she was liked by everyone.

I was slightly surprised when snobby cheerleaders greeted Angela warmly and asked how her summer was. Jocks on the football team stopped by and asked how she was doing. And in the process, I was introduced as well.

To my horror, I hadn't realized that this would make my name known throughout the school. And here, I'd been glad that no one had been paying attention to me. But now, they all knew Isabella Swan, the new girl.

"I'm sorry," Angela said apologetically. "I know how much you hate attention. I probably should've warned you."

"It's fine," I sighed, keeping my eyes on my Calculus textbook. "I'll deal with it."

"Sorry," she said again, looking sincerely sorry.

It was even worse at the end of each day. Boys would be waiting for me at my car after school. And they asked me out.

I rejected each one of them. I didn't want a boyfriend. I wanted a shoulder to lean on. And now more than ever, since everyone noticed me these days.

Calls to my mother always ended with her constantly worried about me. She didn't believe what I told her about school. She was concerned and even went as far as to begging me to come back to Jacksonville. I always managed to convince her otherwise, but she hung up each day sounding uncomfortable.

Charlie kept reassuring me that it was going to be okay. That I would get used to all of it, and that it was time for me to change.

"You're always so introverted and shy, Bella," he said. "And the fact that people are giving you attention should help you get over that." He always looked satisfied as he said that. And, of course, he always asked about boys. "Any handsome boys that interest you, Bells?"

I didn't like it. My parents seriously should've had a boy before they had me. I'd rather have an annoying older brother to lean on than deal with all this drama.

As days passed, I realized that Charlie was right. I was getting used to it. Everything was becoming a routine. Nothing new happened. It was the same, dull, boring school every single day.

Until, that is, I bumped into a certain, handsome boy.

* * *

The bell dismissing students at the end of the day rang loudly throughout the huge campus. Students flooded the hallways, desperate to get out of school grounds.

I had to run down to the store to pick up some food for tonight's dinner. And I had tons of homework, so I was in a hurry.

And, of course, when I was hasty, I became clumsier.

I was dashing up the million stairs to my locker. I had stayed behind to talk to the teacher about my grades, and due to my delay, the hallways were already empty.

I clutched my textbook to my chest as I panted hard. There were only a few steps left…

Ten more steps…five…four…three…two…one!

Relieved, I stepped onto the last step and began to turn the corner to head to my locker when…

I shrieked in shock when I bumped into something hard. And because of my clumsiness, I wasn't able to regain my footing and fell on my bottom. Hard. My textbook landed two feet away from me.

I grimaced as I rubbed my head. What had I bumped into that was so hard?

And it turned out…it was a person.

He knelt in front of me, looking extremely apologetic. "I'm so sorry. Are you alright?"

I looked up at him, slightly annoyed. Couldn't he watch where he was going?

But then again, I thought ruefully, _I_ was at fault too. I shouldn't have been running in the first place, when I was already so clumsy.

The guy was extremely handsome. He had strange, messy bronze hair, with perfect features. He was tall, even when he was crouching down, and he was lanky, but looked like he had a well-built body. He looked older than I was. I was certain I'd seen him around campus before.

The boy studied me. "Are you alright?" he repeated. He seemed to be trying to look into my eyes to guess what I was thinking.

I blushed and immediately looked down. He must think I was mentally retarded or something. I'd been so distracted by his looks that I'd forgotten that he'd asked me a question.

I nodded, still staring at the ground.

The boy smiled amusedly. "I think I've seen you before." He cocked his head. "You look familiar."

Frowning slightly, I reached for my textbook…but it wasn't there. I could've sworn it had been there a few seconds ago.

Confused, I stared at the spot before looking up again. The boy was turning the textbook over in his hand curiously.

"Calculus, huh?" he asked, smiling crookedly. "You look like a junior… You must be fairly advanced for your age." He looked back at me, then held out a hand.

After a moment of hesitation, I took it. He helped me to my feet, then handed my book back to me.

"I'm really sorry," he said. He did look really sorry. "I really shouldn't be distracted all the time. I'll try to be careful next time." He winked before walking around me. He jogged down the stairs, taking each step two at a time.

I looked after him, blinking blankly.

Wow.

I wasn't normally the type to go boy-crazy. But that boy had been really hot. Even _I_ had to admit it. His voice had been really smooth and velvety… I could tell immediately that he was popular here.

I winced and reached up to rub my head again. It really hurt. Who knew a person's chest could be so hard?

Abruptly, I remembered why I'd bumped into him in the first place. And I was in a hurry again.

I hurried to my locker, the hot boy already forgotten.

**Edward's Point of View**

I stayed behind to speak to the teacher when the bell rang. She was worried about my distracted, blank looks lately.

After reassuring her about ten times that I was fine, she finally let me go. When I stepped outside the classroom, I knew that the whole school was empty. The whole place was quiet. Leave it to students to get out of this place as soon as possible. I shook my head as I began walking briskly down the empty hallways.

I didn't have homework tonight, so there was no need to stop by my locker. I just wanted to get home. Today had been exhausting for no particular reason at all. And boring. As usual.

For the hundredth time, my mind began to replay the scene where my parents had agreed to give me time to find someone on my own. I replayed their words over and over again. It frustrated me even more.

Distracted, I turned the corner to descend the stairs when…

A girl with long, wavy, mahogany hair yelped as she was collided with me. I stared in shock, taken aback, as she lost her footing and fell on her bottom. With a loud thud, her textbook landed two feet away from her. She grimaced and rubbed her head.

My first thought was amusement. I knew that I was wrong, but I couldn't help but feel amused. This girl must be naturally clumsy. I'd hardly been knocked backward at all even though I hadn't been expecting it, and this girl had lost her balance.

I immediately felt bad about my emotion, and my amusement turned to concern. She looked like she really was in pain as she rubbed her head, and I knew that my chest wasn't exactly soft, due to all the football training the past three years.

I knelt on one knee, apologetic. "I'm so sorry. Are you alright?"

The girl looked up at me, looking slightly annoyed. The amusement returned, but I tried not to show it. This girl was really funny. As much as I was at fault, it was her fault for being in such a rush too.

And she seemed to realize it as well. Her lips pursed slightly, looking embarrassed. Still, she studied me intently, and her deep, chocolate brown eyes looked like it was taking in everything about me.

I studied her too. I couldn't help it. Her eyes drew me in, and I felt as though I was being sucked into them. She was beautiful, that was for certain. Only an idiot would've denied it. She had full lips, and they were slightly pouty. I found myself wondering what it would be like to kiss them.

Whoa… Where had that thought come from?

"Are you alright?" I repeated, mainly to distract myself. Her deep, pretty eyes were dangerous. I couldn't stop looking away from her.

The girl blushed at my question, and I couldn't help noticing how cute she looked when she did. Her skin was naturally pale, and on most people, the red wouldn't have suited them as well as it did with her. But the blush looked beautiful on her.

What was the matter with me? Why was I noticing all these things?

She nodded, now staring at the ground, embarrassed.

I was glad that she'd broken our eye contact. I had to admit, I had been immediately attracted to those eyes. If she'd kept staring at me, I might have actually kissed her.

I smiled, amused. "I think I've seen you before. You look familiar." She did look familiar. I racked my brains, wondering where I'd seen her before.

She frowned slightly, then began turning her head to look for her textbook.

Curious about her, I snatched the textbook from the ground before she could take it. I looked at the Calculus book while she stared at the spot where the book had been blankly. She was quite slow, wasn't she?

She looked up at me, and looked startled to see me holding her book.

"Calculus, huh?" I asked, smiling, impressed. "You look like a junior… You must be fairly advanced for your age." I looked at her, who was staring at me like I was crazy. I held out my hand and waited.

After hesitating, she took my hand warily, and I helped her up. I handed the book back to her, and she took it, still staring at me.

"I'm really sorry," I apologized. I _was_ sorry. "I really shouldn't be distracted all the time. I'll try to be careful next time." And I hoped she would be careful too. I winked at her playfully before brushing past her.

As I descended the stairs two at a time, I kept trying to remember where I'd seen her before. The amusement I'd felt was familiar as well.

I thought about her beautiful face. She was really addicting. I felt tempted to run back up, just to see her again. See her and ask about her. Her name. Why she'd been in such a hurry.

I smiled to myself as I slid into my car. I realized that I was attracted to that girl. It had been an instant attraction. Her eyes had invited me to look at her, and I had. And now, I was still thinking about her.

This was ridiculous, I told myself as I drove out of the parking lot. I barely knew her. This was impossible.

I drove past an old Toyota…and suddenly, it hit me.

The girl with the long, brown hair… The one who had bumped into me not five minutes ago… It had been her. She'd been the one that had been driving the Toyota before. She was the same person. I could still remember that wary look upon her face…

I laughed out loud, half shocked, half pleased by my realization. No wonder I'd felt so amused.

She really was beautiful though. I wished I'd asked for her name. I was extremely curious about her now. I was normally good at reading people, but she'd been a mystery. I hadn't been able to figure her out.

I hoped I saw her again. If I did, I vowed to myself that I would find out at least her name.

I supposed that today hadn't been _totally_ boring after all.

* * *

**AN: What'd you think? Like it? Love it? Or hate it? I hope none of you hated it. Reviews, please!**


	4. Chapter 4: Burden

**Author's Note: Enjoy, enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.**

* * *

**Chapter 4**

**Bella's Point of View**

I struggled through the door with the grocery bags _and_ my backpack. It had taken me an hour at the grocery store, just to get all our necessities.

"Great," I muttered as I organized the food into the refrigerator. "When am I going to do homework?"

Junior year sucked. And even more when you were being pressured.

I was distracted the whole time I was making dinner. Thinking about the things I had to do for tonight's homework. Worrying about the Calculus test tomorrow.

So distracted that I didn't hear Charlie arrive.

"Hey, Bells!" His voice was too loud. I jumped at the abrupt sound.

He looked at me curiously. "Did something happen? Why are you so jumpy?"

I shook my head. "I just have a lot of things to do tonight. That's all."

Charlie looked sympathetic. "Junior year always bites."

I nodded once before beginning to set the table.

After dinner and a quick shower, I finally sat down at my desk for homework. Thankfully, I worked steadily and concentrated so hard that I finished before midnight. I needed all the sleep I could get.

Wearily, I plopped down on my bed and was instantly asleep.

**Edward's Point of View**

"Welcome home," Esme greeted me at the door. "How was school?"

"Bor… Okay," I replied.

She studied me with a slight smile upon her face. "How did 'boring' turn to okay all of a sudden? Did something happen?"

I immediately thought of the girl, but I shook my head. "Senior year's always boring, Mom."

"Are you having any luck?" Esme asked worriedly.

Although my parents had known that I wouldn't succeed in finding someone within a year, they were still hoping that I did find someone. They'd only been pressured into making the deal by the board of directors. They were giving me a lot of stress, but it wasn't intentional.

I shrugged. "I've given up."

Her eyes widened. "Why?"

"Don't tell the board that," I said, smiling. "I still have six months. I think I'll enjoy my freedom before the board partners me up with some random girl."

"But why, Edward?" she asked.

"Yes, why, Edward?" a familiar, high trilling voice asked.

Alice came skipping down the stairs, her eyebrows furrowed. She was always worried about me these days, like the elder sister should.

"Aren't you supposed to be at NYU?" I asked dryly. "When do you have time to study if you keep dropping in like this? You have a dorm at the campus."

She pouted. "I only drop in to see _you_, Edward. Do you want to come live with me? I miss you so much every day."

I rolled my eyes as I leaned on the wall casually. "Tell that to Jasper, why don't you? Your _boyfriend_."

She grinned. "Of course I tell him. But you're more lovable in my eyes. My baby brother." She threw her arms around my waist.

It was hard to believe that she was older than I was. I was six feet two and was still growing. She was barely five feet.

"So what happened?" Alice asked.

"You asked me that last Friday," I said.

She pulled away, grimacing. "A lot can happen in five days."

"Speaking of which, _why_ are you back home? It's only Wednesday. Are you slacking off, pixie?"

Esme smiled as she left us to go into the kitchen. She loved it when we had these sibling conversations.

"We were curious about you," Alice answered.

My eyes narrowed. "We?"

"'Sup, bro?"

I sighed as my elder brother came bouncing down the stairs, cheerful as always. I grunted when he ruffled my hair affectionately.

"Is that all the welcome I get?" Emmett asked, pretending to be hurt.

"Why are you doing this to me?" I groaned as I started upstairs. Of course they followed. "In the last month, it was Alice. And now, you too, Em?"

"We're just really curious," Emmett said innocently. "Any luck?"

"No. Go away. Go back to Columbia."

"Wow, he really is agitated about this," Emmett told Alice. "I'm so glad I'm not the heir."

I scowled even more at that. "Shut up. Go away. Go back to school, both of you. I was loving the quiet house without you guys."

Alice laughed. "Exactly why we came. We thought it might be getting a bit _too_ quiet. And who better than us to fill it up with noise?"

"I agree with you one hundred percent," Emmett guffawed. "Didn't you miss us at all?"

I didn't want to give them the satisfaction of telling them that I had. I really needed my elder siblings for support and encouragement. They always listened to me and understood. Though I groaned and pretended to be annoyed, I always missed them. The house was _too_ quiet. But I wasn't going to admit that. They already had big heads.

"Aw, he's too shy to admit it," Emmett said, laughing as they followed me into my bedroom.

Rolling my eyes but smiling slightly, I sat down on an armchair. I didn't need to admit it anyway. They already knew.

They sat on the couch opposite from me and leaned forward expectantly.

I looked at them. "What are you waiting for?"

"Tell us what happened," Alice urged. "It's totally written on your face. Something happened."

"I…" I stopped myself. "It's nothing."

"So there is something," Emmett noted. "Tell us. We can keep a secret."

"No, you can't," I mumbled. "You'll go blabbing to Carlisle and Esme."

"We won't if you don't want us to tell them," Alice promised. She held up her hand and grinned. "Scout's honor."

"It's really nothing," I sighed. "Really. I'll probably never see her again."

"Her?" Alice nearly shrieked. "You said her! Who is this girl?"

"Take it down a notch, Alice," Emmett chided. "He just said that he'll probably never see her again."

"Yeah, but if she's worth mentioning to us, even the slightest bit…" Alice turned to me. "What, what? What happened?"

"I just bumped into her in the hallway, that's all," I said.

"And?"

"What makes you think there's an and?"

"Just your tone."

I thought about the girl. "She was pretty."

Emmett and Alice glanced at each other, their eyes wide and excited.

"Stop it," I protested. "Jeez, you two."

They turned back to me. Alice had a hopeful smile on her face, and Emmett was laughing silently.

"Have you _ever_ seen her before?" he asked.

"Once. In the parking lot."

"Have you ever talked to her?"

"No."

"Then what do you know about her?" he pointed out, though still looking amused. "What draws you in? You barely know her."

I cocked my head. "You're right. I don't know her."

Alice wasn't giving up. "Who is this girl?"

I shrugged. "I don't know."

"Her name?"

"I don't know."

"Grade?"

I hesitated. "I think she might be a junior. But she seemed fairly advanced for her age. She was carrying a Calculus book."

"Pretty?"

I nodded slowly. "Beautiful." I gave Emmett an annoyed look. He was still laughing. "Prettier than Rosalie."

That shut him up. "Hey. Watch it. Rose is the prettiest."

I stuck out my tongue. "You're just lucky you can date and marry whomever you want."

He gave me a small, apologetic smile. "I know."

I knew it wasn't his fault. He shouldn't be apologizing to me.

Though Alice and I were biologically Cullens, Emmett had been adopted. Way before Alice and I'd been born, Carlisle and Esme had found him wandering alone the streets, looking lost. They'd taken him in and ever since then, he'd been part of our family. It was like he was never adopted. He was ours.

But just the mere fact that he'd been adopted meant that he couldn't be the heir. He wasn't a true Cullen. _I_ was. That meant that _I_ had to be the heir. And though it wasn't his fault, Emmett had always felt guilty that his little brother had to be the one to be suffering through this.

"You should've found out her name at least," Alice mumbled, looking disappointed.

I sighed. "What's the possibility of me meeting her again? Probably less than zero. This is South View High we're talking about. It's huge. Four thousand people, not including faculty.

"You really fell for her, didn't you?" Emmett asked incredulously. "That's weird."

Alice clapped her hands excitedly. "Maybe it was love at first sight!"

Emmett and I snorted simultaneously. "Yeah, right."

"It's possible!"

"Look, I don't think she was attracted to me at all," I said, laughing. "She looked at me like I was some crazy person from an institution."

Alice looked smug. "You _will_ meet her again. I just know it. I can feel it."

"Whatever, Alice."

Her eyes narrowed. "How much do you want to bet?"

"A hundred bucks," Emmett said immediately. He and Alice's boyfriend, Jasper Whitlock, loved to gamble.

"You're on."

"Stop it," I groaned. "Seriously. Go back to school."

"Are you quarterback again?" Emmett asked, changing the subject.

"No. I'm not playing football this year."

They exchanged _He's-finally-lost-it_ looks.

I sighed. "I guess I don't need football right now."

They looked at me, looking worried. Finally, Alice said, "Maybe you're right."

I glanced back and forth between the two of them, and couldn't help feeling sorry about how much of a burden I was being to the both of them.

* * *

**AN: So, what'd you think? Leave your thoughts in a review!**


	5. Chapter 5: Name

**Author's Note: So…what do you think of this story so far? Getting interesting? Not yet? Well, read on!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.**

* * *

**Chapter 5**

**Bella's Point of View**

"Bella?" Angela rapped softly on my car window. She looked confused. "What are you still doing in there?"

I lowered the window. "Hi, Ang." I yawned widely.

"What are you still doing in your car?"

"I came early," I mumbled. "I couldn't risk falling asleep at home."

"What's the matter?" she asked, worried now.

"Nothing," I answered, yawning again. "I'm just really stressed out from homework, that's all."

She looked sympathetic. "I know what you mean. I finished homework at two yesterday. But you look even more tired than I am."

I merely grunted.

She smiled. "Come on. The bell's about to ring."

I gathered my stuff and exited the car. We headed towards the buildings while I stretched.

"Hi, Ang," the cheerleaders called out, waving. "Hi, Bella!"

Angela waved, and I smiled to be polite. They returned to their conversations. As we passed them, I overheard them gushing over how a certain boy looked so hot.

"Who are they always talking about?" I wondered, mostly to myself.

"They're cheerleaders, Bella," Angela said. "They talk about boys a lot. It's like their job."

I laughed. "I guess so."

"But if you really want to know," she said, lowering her voice as we got closer to the jocks' cars. A group of them were surrounding the silver Volvo that I'd seen one too many times before.

"What?"

"Hey, Angela!" one of the jocks said, having spotted us. He waved. "Bella!"

Angela nodded at them, and before I could do anything else, she grabbed my arm and pulled me away quickly.

"What is it, Ang?"

"They might overhear," she explained in a low voice. "Anyway, as I was saying, there's a really handsome guy at this school. Like, he's really good-looking. We do a vote every year on the best-looking guy and girl at this school. The girls change every year, but the guy always manages to keep his title." She sighed rather dreamily. "It makes sense, actually. Because every year, he only gets hotter."

I laughed, slightly surprised. Angela wasn't exactly the type to go crazy over a boy either. "Who is this guy?"

She shook her head. "I think it's best if you don't know. He's really nice and charming and all, but he can be really cold. Some girls go insane over this boy. Just avoid all the jocks, and you should be fine."

I nodded. "No problem."

She glanced at me, and we burst into laughter as we headed inside the building.

* * *

The days went by fairly quickly now. I wasn't even counting the minutes during class anymore. There was no time. As the first semester slowly drew to a close, teachers were stacking up mountains of homework and assignments. Because an end of a semester meant final exams.

When I wasn't in class, I was in the library, buried inside a textbook. Sometimes, I wouldn't even hear the bell ring, and Angela had to nearly drag me out of there.

I seemed to be forgetting to be clumsy nowadays too. Since my mind was elsewhere, my body found it easier to control myself easily. I hadn't had a cut in weeks. I guess my clumsiness had always been psychological.

I was glad because I didn't need a concussion on the last few weeks of school before winter break. But, of course, my luck wasn't going to last for long.

I should've known.

* * *

"Are you sure you're going to be okay?" Angela asked for the hundredth time as we walked through the hallways after dismissal.

I looked at her amusedly. "Ang, I'll be fine. You go and have fun with Ben."

A boy named Ben Cheney had asked Angela out. He was in our grade, intelligent, and had been crushing on her ever since they'd laid eyes on each other. He finally had the nerve to ask her out, conveniently two weeks before exams started. I supposed that having a special person next to you would help one deal with the stress.

I could see the excited sparkle in her eyes. She was dying to go flying into his waiting arms, I knew.

"I'll be fine," I stressed when she gave me an apologetic look. "Have fun."

She smiled happily. "Thanks, Bella. I'll call you after our date." She waved as we went our separate ways.

I sighed, feeling slightly lonely. Everyone around me was getting paired up, and now that Angela was gone too, I was alone. But I didn't need a boyfriend like Jessica and Lauren had suggested. I needed a shoulder to lean on, an elderly brother figure. They just didn't seem to get it.

Because I was walking so slowly toward my locker, the crowd thinned quickly, and soon, the whole school was quiet. It was a Friday, after all. People _would_ want to get away from here.

I was in no hurry today. Teachers have been lessening our workload gradually, giving us more time to study. Of course, I had tons of studying to do, but at least I had the whole weekend to do it.

I was climbing the stairs to the floor where my locker was located. And just as I was stepping onto the top of the stairs and turned the corner, I bumped, yet again, into something hard.

Why did this always happen to me? _Seriously_.

Luckily, this time, I caught myself on the railing and managed not to fall on my bottom. But I did hurt my head again, and I grimaced as I raised my hand to touch the sore spot.

"I'm sorry," a familiar smooth voice said. "Are you alright?"

_Shoot._ Why did it have to be _him_ again?

I looked up, annoyed.

Sure enough, the boy from before was standing in front of me. He looked surprised to see me again.

"You again?" he asked. He laughed. "Long time no see, clumsy girl."

I pursed my lips, still rubbing my head.

He grinned. "Were you in a hurry again?"

I was even more irritated now. "No."

He raised his eyebrow at the tone of my voice. I supposed it _was_ his first time hearing me speak. "I wasn't distracted either."

My mouth twisted.

"Sorry," I mumbled before moving to push past him.

To my shock, he grabbed my arm and held on firmly. I looked at him like he was crazy.

"Wait," he said. "What's your name?"

I kept staring at him. Why did he want to know my name? So he can make fun of me the next time we bumped into each other?

"I'm just curious," he defended himself, as though he'd read my mind.

Though wary, I said, "Bella."

He perked up. "Bella? That's a pretty name. Does that stand for something?"

I nodded slowly. "Isabella."

"Your last name," he pressed.

I frowned at him, but said, "Swan."

He nodded. "Isabella Swan," he repeated thoughtfully. "I see." He let go of me. "Okay. You can go now." He smiled his killer smile, the crooked one, then started to walk away.

"Hey," I said, scowling.

He stopped, then looked back.

"If you took someone's name, you should return yours," I said reproachfully.

The boy chuckled. He turned his body so that he faced me entirely. He stuck his hands in his pockets. "True enough."

I cocked my head, waiting."

"Edward," he said, quirking up an eyebrow. "Edward Cullen."

His last name sounded familiar, though I couldn't place where. I think it must have been a long, long time ago when I'd heard it. It was really vague.

"Satisfied?" Edward smirked.

I couldn't help but smile a tiny bit. "Almost. I hope I don't bump into you again, Edward." And I turned around and walked away.

* * *

**AN: Second bump! Oops! Heh. So Edward found her name. Reviews, please!**


	6. Chapter 6: Addicting

**Author's Note: This chapter is just the same scene from the previous one. Except in EPOV. Enjoy just the same.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.**

* * *

**Chapter 6**

**Edward's Point of View**

As we drew closer to winter break, New York was beginning to get cold. Winter clothes were brought out, and heaters were a necessity when one drove themselves to school.

Everywhere I went, students looked miserable. I knew they were being pressured from the upcoming final exams. Most of them were juniors, and _they_ looked exhausted. They had dark circles under their eyes – the ones that actually cared about their grades – and they looked ready to drop off any minute.

Because I was now carrying the thought that I'd given up, I didn't really feel all that miserable anymore. It was surprisingly fresh and relieving, though there was that disappointment at the way bottom.

My parents were disappointed. My siblings kept urging me not to give up. But I wasn't going to listen. What was the point anyway? This was the way my life was controlled, and apparently, this was what fate had in store for me.

Still, I couldn't stop thinking about that girl. The girl with long, mahogany hair and those beautiful, deep chocolate eyes. When I thought of her, all thoughts about an arranged marriage flew out the window.

I wanted to find her. I wanted to get to know her in a way that didn't involve the stupid Cullen tradition. It was a strange thing, too, considering the six months I'd just spent, looking for a suitable girl.

Besides thinking about the girl all the time, I really wasn't _that_ distracted anymore. My teachers seemed glad that I was actually starting to answer questions in class, and my friends seemed happy when they saw my renewed cheerfulness. They told me that they'd missed my warmth and playfulness.

I think I had too.

* * *

I was walking along the now memorable, long hallway where I'd bumped into her. As I passed, I glanced at the lockers. I wondered which one of these belonged to her.

Students rushed past, eager to get away from school. It was getting even colder, and undoubtedly, they wanted to get home before it started raining or something.

Soon, the whole school was quiet. Deserted. As though there were never students here the entire day. I shook my head in amazement.

I was thinking about the girl as I turned the corner. And I bumped into someone. Literally.

"I'm sorry," I said, feeling mortified. Why was this happening so often? "Are you alright?"

Wait. I knew that hair color. I looked at the girl more carefully.

And I was surprised. For weeks, I'd been trying to look for her, and now, here she was. Unexpectedly. I supposed Coach had been right. Surprises did come when one least expected it.

She glared up at me, rubbing her head.

"You again?" I chuckled. "Long time no see, clumsy girl." She had no idea how glad I was to see her again. She really was addicting. I hadn't realized that I'd been feeling slightly uncomfortable this whole time, until I'd seen her. The feeling was gone now.

She pursed her lips, looking irritated.

I grinned. "Were you in a hurry again?" I teased.

"No," the girl said.

I was intrigued by her voice. It was just a simple word, but it made a lot of

difference. I was immediately attracted to that too.

"I wasn't distracted either," I told her.

Her mouth twisted as though she'd just eaten a lemon.

"Sorry," she muttered under her breath before maneuvering around me to walk away.

Instinctively, I reached out and grabbed her arm. She looked shocked. I was too. I hadn't even thought about what I was doing until I was actually grabbing onto her.

"Wait," I said, remembering what I'd promised myself. "What's your name?"

The girl looked at me like I was insane. Was it really that strange to ask her what her name was?

"I'm just curious," I said defensively. Actually, more than that. Much, much more than that. I was attracted to her.

Warily, she said, "Bella."

Bella. It suited her nicely. "Bella? That's a pretty name. Does that stand for something?"

She nodded. "Isabella."

Even better. I could tell that she didn't like her full name though. She frowned slightly as she pronounced it.

"Your last name," I stressed.

She frowned, but replied, "Swan."

I nodded too. "Isabella Swan. I see." It was a perfect name for her, really. I let go of her. "Okay. You can go now." I smiled satisfactorily before I began walking away.

"Hey," she called.

Curious, I turned back.

"If you took someone's name, you should return yours," she said, looking indignant.

I couldn't help but laugh slightly. "True enough." I was liking this girl more and more every second. The confidence underneath her quiet exterior… I had a feeling she was full of surprises.

"Edward," I said, resigning myself to being caught. She was bound to know who I was. And when she did, she probably would become too intimidated to even bump into me anymore. "Edward Cullen." I raised any eyebrow and waited for her to realize my family's background.

But to my surprise, she didn't show any reaction. Was she pretending, or did she really not know?

"Satisfied?" I asked, smiling playfully. Did she _really_ not know? Really? My family's name was all over the news these days.

Bella smiled slightly. And for a moment, I could see the warmth displayed alongside her icy behavior toward me.

"Almost," she said. "I hope I don't bump into you again, Edward." And she turned and walked away.

I stood there, shocked, looking after her. The way she'd said my name had sent a chill down my spine. It felt so _right_ to hear my name coming from her.

She might not want to bump into me again and embarrass herself further, but _I_ wanted to. I could bump into her a million times and never get sick of her.

She was _that_ addicting.

* * *

**AN: Nothing new, but I still hope you enjoyed it! Reviews, please! Pretty please, with a cherry on top? Oh, and blueberries and strawberries and kiwis and gummy bears and chocolate and yogurt chips on top?**


	7. Chapter 7: Bet

**Author's Note: Heh. I think you'll enjoy this one.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.**

* * *

**Chapter 7**

**Bella's Point of View**

"Done!" Angela said triumphantly as we exited fourth period on Thursday. "Finals are done, and winter break is mine!"

Angela and I had all our final exam classes before lunch. We were luckier than others, who still looked like they were on the verge of breaking down. We were free women for the rest of the day, and winter break too.

I laughed. "And first semester is nearly done too," I added. "Don't forget that. Tomorrow's the last day."

"I know," she said happily. "And we only have a few months left of this hell of a junior year."

"So?" I prompted her as we walked to my locker. "What are you planning to do over break?"

"Oh," Angela said, blushing. "Ben and I thought we'd go catch a couple of movies…dinner…"

"It's going well, then?" I teased, nudging her gently. "I'm glad."

She smiled. "What about you? No one asking you out?"

I made a face. "I told you I'm not interested in dating. All I need is-"

"-a brother-like figure to lean on," Angela finished. "Yeah, I know. You've said it a million times."

"If you don't want me to repeat it, then don't ask."

She laughed. "No one that meets your requirements?"

"None. Honestly, this school is huge, but the boys at this school are all pretty idiotic."

She swatted at me. "Don't insult Ben!"

"Besides him," I allowed.

"What about all those hotties on the football team?" Jessica Stanley interjected as she joined us. She was wearing a cheerleader uniform today, seeing how today was the last day of first semester. All cheerleaders were required to dress in their uniforms on special occasions.

Jessica sighed dreamily. "They're so freaking hot! Like Mike. Oh, and Austin!"

I rolled my eyes while Angela giggled. "I don't really think so, Jess."

"Why not?" she nearly shrieked. "Oh, my God, they are so handsome and tall and muscular, and just plain H-O-T, _hot_!" She squealed as she pranced around, drawing attention to us. "Oh, I _so_ wish one of them would ask me out…"

"Shh, calm down, Jess," I said, trying to grab her arm, but she flounced out of the way. "Your skirt." Her skirt was going up and down dangerously, threatening to show off her underwear.

She waved me away dismissively. "That's not important. The boys are awesome!"

"Well, if you're going to list all the hot boys at this school," Angela said amusedly, "you're forgetting one specific boy, Jessica."

"Who's that?" I asked.

"Who's that?" Jessica repeated, looking at me like I was insane. "I haven't forgotten, Ang. How can anyone – _anyone_ – forget the unforgettable, sexy, handsome _Edward Cullen?"_

Angela made a noise that sounded like she'd just stopped her laughter just in time. Her lips twitched, threatening to show off her smile.

"Who's that?" I asked. The name sounded familiar…but where had I-

"_Who's that?_" Jessica shrieked. "Jeez, you mean you've been attending South View High all these months without even learning who he was? Where have you _been_ your entire life?"

"The library?" I asked, confused. "Why is this Edward such a big deal?"

"Because he's the hottest guy in school!" Jessica squealed happily. "_So_ handsome. And dreamy. And charming. And sexy. And smart. And tall. And hot. And sexy. And charismatic. And sexy. And hot. And handsome. And hot. And sexy. And-"

"I think she gets the point, Jess," Angela interrupted.

"Okay," I said slowly. "But I don't get why you're practically drooling over his name, Jess. If he's such a god, then wouldn't he already have a girlfriend?"

Jessica scoffed. "If he had a girlfriend, every girl in this school would've done anything at all to tear her down from that position. And that's what we did the last two years. And if he was already taken, then every girl in school still wouldn't be staring after him dreamily when he walks past, now, would he?"

"Poor guy," I said while Angela laughed. "He must have had a rough life here in South View."

"I still can't believe he quit football," Jessica pouted. "I only became a cheerleader for the past two years so that I could see him running down the field in his uniform; do you know how _hot_ he looks in it? I thought he would continue, because it's his last year here, but then I find out that quit! And it was too late to back out because the teacher wouldn't let us…" She sighed in frustration.

"He's a senior?" I inquired.

Jessica nodded. "He's so dreamy…" She looked at me weirdly as we climbed the stairs. "I'm sure you've seen him around school. It's impossible to miss him. Have you never seen a handsome, sexy guy that everyone looks at when he walks by?"

I shrugged. "Not really."

"It's lunch time!" Angela said happily. "That's good, because I am _starving_! I skipped breakfast today because I was running late." She made a face.

I laughed as we reached the top of the stairs. Suddenly, we heard a loud noise at the middle of the hallway in front of us. There were loud whooping sounds as a certain couple began kissing. The boy must have asked her out.

And, of course, distracted and clumsy as I was, I lost my footing on the last step.

I shrieked, bracing myself to fall backward. My friends looked at me in alarm, but they were too late to grab me.

I was falling backward…and then, something rock solid caught me and pushed me back onto the step gently. My friends wore similar masks of shock and amazement. Their expressions were priceless as they gawked at my savior.

I turned around, relieved and grateful. And I blinked at a familiar face.

He cocked his head, crossing his arms. "You really are accident prone, aren't you?" He looked amused, as always.

I pursed my lips. I wasn't exactly happy to see him again. I'd hoped that two times of bumping into each other would've been enough. I hadn't been planning to see him again…and yet, here he was.

I'd forgotten his name. What was it again? He'd told me when I'd told him mine the last time… But I doubted that he knew my either.

"Thank…you," I said, embarrassed.

People stared curiously as they walked past us. As though they were wondering why a hot boy like him was talking to three junior girls. Well, technically, only one, but still.

"Oh…my…" Jessica breathed softly. Angela merely blinked rapidly, as though she couldn't believe her eyes.

The boy leaned on the railing casually. "You seem to have made it through the last two weeks safely. Considering your clumsiness, I think that's a miracle." He smirked.

I couldn't believe his nerve. He barely knew me, and yet, he had the smugness to tease me. Who did he think he was?

My friends looked doubly shocked at his way of speaking to me. Because the way he talked to me was quite friendly and light, like the way friends spoke to each other.

I couldn't help but grimace. Choosing to ignore him, I glanced at my friends. "Come on, guys." I began toward the hallway, but my friends hadn't moved. "Um, Jess? Ang? Aren't you coming?"

They were still gawking at him. And he was still looking at me, as though he didn't see two girls staring at him.

"Hey," I said, frowning at him. "Aren't you leaving?"

He chuckled. "Aren't you being quite rude, considering the fact that I'd just saved you?"

My expression soured.

"I don't know how you manage to survive through the school day, Bella," he said, putting emphasis on my name. I received a slight shock. He remembered my name.

My friends let out a strangled gasp. They were shocked too. Shocked that a hot boy knew my name.

Getting irritated, I grabbed both their arms and pulled. "Come _on_!" And I dragged them down the hallway, leaving him behind.

"What's the matter with you guys?" I asked, annoyed as I led the way to my locker. "Didn't you hear me?"

They seemed to be recovering slowly.

"You…he…" Angela was murmuring, still looking like she'd seen a ghost. "I can't…I don't…believe it…"

"I don't believe it!" Jessica shrieked suddenly, scaring the crap out of me. She stopped in front of me. Her eyes were wide and sparkling. "You _know_ him?"

"What?"

"You know _him_?" she asked, her voice getting louder. "Seriously? Like, you actually talk to him, and you see him often? Are you friends? Are you dating?"

"What?" I asked, shocked. "No!"

"But he talked to you!" Jessica said. "He totally knew your name, and he totally started teasing you, like you guys knew each other! Only friends can do that! Tell me, Bella! Do you really know him? I thought you said that you didn't!"

I was really confused. "What are you talking about? You're not making any sense."

And then, the boy walked past us, smirking, having heard everything that we'd just said. And my friends looked after him, still gaping.

"Unbelievable," Jessica said faintly. "You know him."

I shook my head. "I don't get it. Do you know who that guy is?"

"Know who he is?" Angela repeated. "Bella, who were we just talking about?"

"This guy named Edward Cullen," I answered, bemused. Where was all this leading up to? "So?"

"So?" Jessica nearly screamed. "_So?_ Are you kidding, Isabella Swan? _That_ guy that just saved you from falling down the stairs _is_ Edward Cullen! Are you out of your mind?"

I stared at her. _What?_

Something stirred in my memory. He'd told me his name…

_"Edward. Edward Cullen." _

Shoot. I finally realized why his name had sounded so familiar. And it turned out that I did know who he was. I'd met him – more than met him, practically bumped into him twice – and I hadn't known that he was the most popular guy in school. I felt like an idiot.

"Oh…" I said slowly. "I see." Then, frowning slightly, I pushed Jessica away and continued down the hall toward my locker.

"Is that all you're going to say?" Jessica asked loudly. "Seriously? You just got rescued by _Edward Cullen_, and that's all you're saying?"

"Well, what am I supposed to do?" I asked impatiently as I reached my locker and began twirling the lock. "I didn't know. And what's the big deal? I thanked him for saving me, didn't I?"

"But he knew your name!" Jessica yelled. "He knew it! How does he know it? He barely takes the time to learn all the cheerleaders' names, and he barely notices any girl that throws herself at him! How does he know _you_?"

I didn't know if I should be offended by her tone or not. "Because this isn't the first time I bumped into him."

"What do you mean?"

I told them about the first and second time I'd bumped into him at school. "And then, he asked for my name, and I told him. I'm actually surprised he remembered." I shrugged, closing my locker. "He told me his name too, but I didn't remember. That's all."

"He remembered your name," Angela mused as we descended the stairs again to go eat lunch. "That's really interesting. Because even if a girl tells him her name, he really doesn't care. I don't even think his brain processes it. He was always more of a guy who was indifferent to dating and liked hanging around with his friends."

"But?" I prompted.

"But the fact that he actually talked to you itself is amazing," Jessica put in. "You must have been really funny the first time you met or something."

I felt myself blushing, remembering the embarrassing event.

"Jess!" Angela chided. "I'm sure that's not true. Maybe he's interested in Bella."

"No way!" Jessica shook her head furiously, refusing to believe her. "I spent the last two years trying to get him to notice me. What are the chances of him noticing a girl who wasn't even interested in him and didn't realize who he was, to someone like me, who practically ran around, looking for him twenty-four/seven? No _freaking_ way!"

"Wanna bet?" Angela asked smugly. She seemed confident that she was correct in her hunches. And she seemed really happy for me.

"Guys," I tried to interrupt.

"You're on!" Jessica said, her eyes narrowing. "Oh, my God, wait till Lauren and the other girls hear about this!"

And she did told them, as soon as we'd arrived at our usual lunch spot outside in the quad. Some of them had been rehearsing their moves for a game tomorrow, and some of them had been eating salads.

But they all perked up when Jessica announced that she saw Edward Cullen, and they all started screaming and freaking out when she told them about how he knew me.

"You're so lucky!" one girl whose name I didn't even know gushed. "Do you think you can introduce me?"

"No way, there's no _freaking_ way he knows Bella," Lauren said, glaring down at her salad. "I spent the last two years following him around and asking him out. It's just not possible. He just isn't interested in dating. No _way_."

"Maybe he's gay," I said mildly, fiddling around with my milk straw.

"Shut up!" some of the cheerleaders exclaimed, looking shocked and worried.

"No way!" others squeaked.

I blinked in surprise. "I was just kidding. Jeez. You don't have to glare daggers at me like that."

"Do you really know him, Bella?" Lauren asked. "Can you introduce me to him? I don't even think he knows my name, and he knows yours. Something that I still can't believe."

"I told you," I said impatiently. "I don't know him well. I only bumped into him twice."

"Still, he _knows _your name!" another unknown girl squealed. "That's so great! Do you think you can tell him that my name is Katie, and that I'm a huge fan of his? I have pictures of him all over my wall at home!"

I sighed.

"Ang and I have a bet going on," Jessica told the cheerleaders eagerly. "She thinks that Edward's interested in Bella, but I don't think so. He's just being the gentleman that he usually is. Do you guys want to pitch in?"

The cheerleaders began to chatter excitedly, and in the end, they all agreed to be involved in the bet. Half of the cheerleaders – the nicer ones – sided with Angela, while the snobby, slutty ones sided with Jessica, including Lauren. And the bet was to sexy dance in front of the whole school at the center of the quad if they lost.

I already knew that the snobby ones would win, so I wasn't particularly interested. If they wanted to have a bet, so be it. I was going to concentrate on enjoying the fact that I didn't need to go to the library for the rest of the day and tomorrow as well.

I was free.

* * *

**AN: What'd you think? Reviews!**


	8. Chapter 8: Trap

**Author's Note: Boy talk! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.**

* * *

**Chapter 8**

**Edward's Point of View**

After fourth period, people who were already finished with their final exams burst from the classroom and into the hallway, a new spring in their footsteps.

I, too, was finished with everything. Now, there was only one day of school left until winter break, and I was looking forward to it. My siblings would be home from college, at least.

I was walking along the hallways when someone came running from behind, then grabbed onto my shoulders to help them jump high. He left his arm on my shoulders and said, "Whoo! Finals are over, man!"

I rolled my eyes. "Are you sure you passed everything, Mike? You know if you don't get at least a C in all your classes this semester, you're going to get kicked out of the football team, right?"

Mike Newton, another one of my friends, made a face. "Hey, don't remind me. I'm just going to relax over break and then I'll worry about that when we come back. I'm pretty sure I passed though. I passed the last three years."

I gave him an amused look. "Frankly, that was just luck. And me tutoring you."

He punched me in the arm. "Hey. I'm pretty smart too. Give me some credit. After all, I got accepted at NYU."

"Yeah," I agreed. "With no scholarship. At all."

"That's why I'm going to go apply for one right now," Mike said. "The school should give me at least a couple hundred, don't you think?"

I merely stared ahead, fighting a smile.

"What about you?" Mike asked. "Have you gotten any replies yet?"

"No, not yet. Soon, I think. Maybe over break."

He snorted. "Yeah. I don't know why you even bothered filling out all those college applications when you can just send only one to, I don't know, Harvard or something, and get accepted."

"I didn't bribe any of the colleges I applied for, man," I said reproachfully. "I don't rely on my money all the time."

"That's what makes you popular," Mike sang, using One Direction's tune for _"What Makes You Beautiful." _

I grimaced. "What'd I tell you, back when we were in middle school? Don't _ever_ sing. At least, not in front of me."

He grinned. "You want to sing for me instead?"

"Go away," I muttered as we passed by the office.

He finally let go of me to go inside. "See you later, Edward!"

I walked on, approaching the stairs. As I climbed the steps, I remembered Bella. I hadn't seen her in two weeks. I wondered if she was done with her finals yet.

I got distracted when a girl called my name. I looked up, only to realize that she was only mentioning me to her two friends. She was wearing a cheerleader uniform, and like all the cheerleaders at this school, she looked dangerously eager to talk about me. There was that excited spring in her footsteps and the gushing tone in her voice.

"…forget the unforgettable, sexy, handsome _Edward Cullen?"_

I stifled a laughter. Did all the cheerleaders at this school really think that of me? It was amusing. I wish I'd paid attention the past three years now. I would've had a source for laughter almost every day. It would've helped with the stress of the bargain I'd made my parents as well.

The girl in the middle made a strange noise, as though she'd just stopped herself from laughing at the last minute.

The girl on her right asked, "Who's that?"

Wait…I knew that voice. Her hair… Definitely familiar.

It was Bella.

Hadn't I told her my name? Had she already forgotten? It was hard to believe that she hadn't heard about me properly until now. And apparently, her cheerleader friend thought so too.

"_Who's that?"_ the cheerleader shrieked. "Jeez, you mean you've been attending South View High all these months without even learning who he was? Where have you _been_ your entire life?"

"The library?" Bella asked, sounding bemused. I suppressed another laughter. "Why is this Edward such a big deal?"

Yup. She'd forgotten my name already.

"Because he's the hottest guy in school!" Jessica squealed happily. "_So_ handsome. And dreamy. And charming. And sexy. And smart. And tall. And hot. And sexy. And charismatic. And sexy. And hot. And handsome. And hot. And sexy. And-"

"I think she gets the point, Jess," the girl in the middle interrupted.

"Okay…" Bella said slowly. "But I don't get why you're practically drooling over his name, Jess. If he's such a god, then wouldn't he already have a girlfriend?"

The cheerleader, Jess, scoffed indignantly at Bella's ignorance. "If he had a girlfriend, every girl in this school would've done anything at all to tear her down from that position. And that's what we did the last three years. And if he was already taken, then every girl in school still wouldn't be staring after him dreamily when he walks past, now, would he?"

Was that really how it had been? Funny, I hadn't known. I'd always been the one to dump my ex-girlfriends. They always got too obsessive, and I lost interest.

"Poor guy," Bella said, and her friend in the middle laughed. "He must have had a hard life here in South View."

I'd had a fairly easy life here at this school, considering my family's reputation and my background. I'd always thought that it was because I didn't really care what people thought of me.

"I still can't believe he quit football," Jess grumbled. "I only became a cheerleader for the past two years so that I could see him running down the field in his uniform; do you know how _hot_ he looks in it? I thought he would continue, because it's his last year here, but then I find out that he quit! And it was too late to back out because the teacher wouldn't let us…" She sighed in frustration.

I frowned as I continued to trail them up the stairs. That was an unreasonable reason to become a cheerleader. Cheerleading took a lot of time, much like football.

"He's a senior?" Bella asked.

Jess nodded. "He's so dreamy…" She looked at Bella strangely. "I'm sure you've seen him around at school. It's impossible to miss him. Have you never seen a handsome, sexy guy that everyone looks at when he walks by?"

I pressed my lips together to repress a smile. This was really amusing.

Bella shrugged indifferently. "Not really."

I felt a stab of annoyance. Here I was, thinking about her every single day, and she didn't even give a damn about who I was.

"It's lunch time!" the friend in the middle said happily. "That's good, because I am _starving_! I skipped breakfast today because I was running late." She made a face.

Bella laughed her melodious laugh as the three of them reached the top of the stairs.

Suddenly, there was a loud noise in the middle of the hallway in front of us. A guy on the football team seemed to have asked out a cheerleader, and now they were hugging each other while their friends cheered loudly.

Distracted, Bella lost her balance at the top of the stairs. Naturally.

Fortunately, I'd caught up so that I was right behind her. I caught her easily, then pushed her gently onto the top.

Startled, she and her friends looked back. Comically and simultaneously, her friends' eyes bugged out in shock as they recognized me. Bella blinked several times, as though she couldn't believe I was in front of her again.

I titled my head to the side, amused. "You really are accident prone, aren't you?"

Bella pursed her lips, looking irritated. "Thank…you." She looked embarrassed, and her cheeks were slightly pink.

She glanced at the students that passed by us. She seemed to feel self-conscious, wondering why they were staring.

"Oh…my…" the cheerleader friend breathed. She was gaping at me, her mouth slightly open. I could've sworn she was on the verge of drooling.

The middle friend blinked rapidly, as though she couldn't believe what she was seeing.

I leaned on the railing casually. "You seem to have made it through the last two weeks safely. Considering your clumsiness, I think that's a miracle." I smirked, but in truth, I was relieved. She didn't have a scratch on her.

Her two friends' eyes widened even more. They obviously hadn't expected me to speak so nonchalantly. It was strange for me to be speaking to a girl at all in the first place. Usually, the whole school would be in an uproar if I asked a girl out.

Bella didn't seem flustered or anything. In fact, I could tell that she was getting even more annoyed with me. She really didn't know who I was yet. She didn't know my background.

And I liked her even more for her ignorance.

"Come on, guys," she said, edging toward the hallway. But her friends didn't move. They kept staring at me, but I only had eyes for the beautiful, indifferent girl who apparently didn't seem to like me at all.

"Um, Jess?" Bella asked impatiently. "Ang? Aren't you coming?"

They didn't reply.

"Hey," she said, scowling at me. "Aren't you leaving?"

I couldn't help but laugh. "Aren't you being quite rude, considering the fact that I'd just saved you?"

Her mouth twisted.

"I don't know how you manage to survive through the school day, _Bella_," I said, purposely putting an emphasis on her name, just to show her that _I_ remembered.

Her friends gasped, even more shocked. I guess it was. I never bothered to remember a lot of the girl's names. I only needed my mother and sister in my life; there was never a need to memorize more.

"Come _on_!" Bella snapped, grabbing her friends' arms. She pulled them away, saying, "What's the matter with you guys? Didn't you hear me?"

I followed more slowly this time, curious about what they were going to say.

Her friend, Ang, was muttering something that I couldn't hear because of the surrounding noises.

"I don't believe it!" Jess shrieked abruptly, making both Bella and Ang jump. She jumped in front of Bella's path and stopped her. "You _know_ him?"

Bella frowned. "What?"

"You know _him_?" Jess asked loudly. "Seriously? Like, you actually talk to him, and you see him often? Are you friends? Are you dating?"

She had no idea how much I wished that were true.

"What?" Bella nearly shrieked. "No!"

"But he talked to you!" her dramatic friend said. "He totally knew your name, and he totally started teasing you, like you guys knew each other! Only friends can do that! Tell me, Bella! Do you really know him? I thought you said that you didn't!"

"What are you talking about? You're not making any sense."

By this time, I was passing by them. I didn't want to intrude in their conversation any longer anyway. I'd seen Bella for the first time in weeks, and that was enough for me.

The two friends gaped after me.

"Unbelievable," I heard the cheerleader say faintly as I walked away. "You know him."

"I don't get it," Bella said impatiently, her voice fading away. "Do you know who that guy is?"

* * *

I couldn't concentrate on my friends' conversations during lunch. They were laughing and snorting uncontrollably the entire time, but I couldn't focus. I was too busy thinking about Bella.

It was strange, but I felt as though she had gotten prettier over the past two weeks. There was this warm glow around her, an aura, that only I could see. Beautiful…

"Hey," Austin said, frowning as he threw an empty milk carton at me to get my attention. "What's the matter with you, man? You hardly said anything."

I grabbed the carton and threw it back at him. "I never do."

"True," another guy said, chortling. "Edward's pretty quiet."

"But you hardly laughed at anything," Austin protested. "It was hilarious; I was laughing the entire time. What's going on? Did something happen? Your parents? The company?"

I shook my head. "Nothing happened."

"No, no, wait," Mike said, studying me amusedly. "When a guy gets all quiet and is unable to concentrate on anything else, there's only one possibility. He's in love. You like someone, don't you, Eddie?"

"Don't call me that."

"What?" Austin said incredulously. "_Edward?_ In love?" He began to laugh. "That's a good one." The other boys joined in.

I smiled slightly.

"Stop laughing," Mike snapped. "It's true. Tell 'em I'm right, man."

I shrugged. They all stopped laughing rather abruptly.

"Something's wrong," Austin said, his eyes narrowing. "Don't tell me Mike's right."

I smirked. "Maybe."

They all exchanged surprised looks. They knew that I'd given up trying to find someone suitable for the bargain. I guess I would be surprised too.

"Seriously?" Mike asked, looking pleased. "That's great, Edward. Who is this girl?"

I sighed. "Forget it, alright? This girl doesn't even know who I am."

"Everyone knows who you are.

"I'm serious," I said. "She has no idea. I think…I think that's why I'm so curious about her. Because she's the one person at this school who doesn't know how rich I am, or how famous my family is-"

"That's weird," Austin interrupted. "How can one not know who you are? If you told her your name, then she would know immediately that you're a Cullen. Duh. She must be pretty stupid."

I shook my head. "She's in Calculus, genius. _And_ she's a junior." I smirked. "Beat that, Mr. _Pre_-Calculus."

"Calculus?" Austin mumbled. His face fell comically, looking put-out. "A junior? Damn…"

"She's a junior?" Mike repeated. He frowned. "A cheerleader?"

"No way," I said, grimacing in horror. "Do you think I'd look at those girls for even a second?"

"Who is she?"

I hesitated. "You wouldn't know her."

Austin laughed out loud. "Try us. We're jocks, man. We know every girl in this school. Even if they aren't cheerleaders."

I stabbed my apple with my fork. "Isabella Swan."

They gaped at me. "You're kidding, right?"

"What?" I asked, looking up. "You really know her?"

"Who _doesn't _know her?" Mike asked, chuckling. "She's that clumsy girl. Clumsy, but beautiful, for sure." He nodded. "I can see why you fell for her. She's really smart too."

"How do you know her?"

"She hangs out with the cheerleaders," Austin said, nodding towards the group of squealing cheerleaders all the way across the quad. "And she's best friends with Angela Weber."

I looked at Ben Cheney, who was sitting next to me, taking a bite of his taco. "Your girlfriend?"

He nodded. "Yeah. Bella's really nice."

I laughed once. "She seems to really hate _me_."

Ben looked at me in surprise. "Why would she hate you?"

I told them about how I'd met Bella. "She barely knows me, but the way she looks at me is obvious. She doesn't like me."

My friends all laughed.

"Don't worry, man," Mike said easily. "Bella's not like that. She was probably just embarrassed, that's all."

I glanced at the girls, who were jumping around excitedly, laughing shrilly over a joke someone had just told. "Do you think they told her who I am?"

"Well…" Ben said thoughtfully. "I'm sure Bella knows that you're the most popular guy at school now. That was inevitable. But if you're referring to the fact that you're from a rich family, I'm not sure. There's a good chance that they might not have; those cheerleaders can be pretty dumb sometimes."

The boys all murmured in agreement, laughing.

"Good," I said, relieved. "I don't want her to know for a while. Maybe I could get to know her without her finding out my family background. That way, if she shows any interest in me at all, I'll know if it's sincere or not."

"That's impossible," Mike scoffed. "The whole _world_ knows who you are."

I gave him an irritated look. "All those girls I dated in the past few years only liked me for my background. I want to see if Bella's any different."

"She is," Ben said simply. "Angela really likes her. She talks about Bella a lot. And Bella isn't the type to judge people by their reputation or anything. She regards them in the way that she sees them."

I was thoughtful. I really wanted to try to get closer to her. I wondered if she would fall into a trap if I created one just for her.

"Want us to help you?" Austin asked slyly, wagging his eyebrows mischievously.

I scoffed. "With what?"

"Honestly, man," Mike said. "Bella's perfect for you. She fits the exact description of what you were looking for the past six months. You've found the girl of your dreams. Now, it's time to snag her. And that's where we come in."

I rolled my eyes.

"Tomorrow," Austin said with satisfaction. "At lunch. We'll accompany you to the girls tomorrow so you can freak all of them out. And make Bella uncomfortable. You can be talking to her, which will obviously draw a lot of attention. She doesn't like being in the limelight, you know."

"What's the point in that?"

"First," Ben chiming in. "We get to see the cheerleaders freaking out by the fact that they're within a ten feet radius of you. _That_ should be fun. Second, you show Bella that you really are popular. Third, it's a great first step to getting to know her. Any questions?" He nudged me.

I was amused. "I don't think that's such a good-"

"Shut up," Austin advised. "It'll do you good. Just don't forget to thank us later when you end up getting the girl." He winked.

"Bella doesn't seem like the easy type," I said, suppressing a smile. My friends really were funny. And blind. And frustrating.

"She isn't," Mike agreed. "But why should she refuse _you? _You're rich, handsome, and popular."

"Smart too," Austin added, snorting with laughter.

My smile disappeared as I stared at the small figure of Bella, laughing with her friends. "I guess you're right."

* * *

**AN: I have no idea how boys' brains work. So that's just my assumption on it. I hope you enjoyed it! Reviews, please!**


	9. Chapter 9: Flattering

**Author's Note: Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.**

* * *

**Chapter 9**

**Bella's Point of View**

Everybody seemed in fairly good spirits today. As this was the last day of first semester and before winter break, it was natural that everyone was so cheerful. Even the teachers that were usually grumpy were quite nice today. The thought of not having to see roughly one hundred and eighty of their own students for the entire two weeks kept them going.

I was in a pretty good mood overall as well. Until lunch, that was.

Angela and I joined the cheerleaders at our usual lunch spot in the quad. They were more giggly than usual, and Ang and I soon caught the gist of why. Lauren was planning to ask out Edward Cullen. Today.

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Cheerleaders. So typical.

"What do you think, Bella?" Lauren asked in her annoyingly nasal voice. "Do you think he'll accept? I'm your friend, after all, and he's a friend of yours too. You would know."

I nearly choked on my sip of lemonade. "_What?"_

"Do you think he'll accept?" Lauren asked impatiently.

I stared at all of them, who were waiting for my answer. "I told you before. I don't know him."

"Yeah, you do!" Jessica said. "Of course you do."

I rolled my eyes now. I couldn't help it. "If I knew him, I would totally introduce you guys to him, wouldn't I? Just to keep you guys quiet about him during lunch. I'm sick of hearing Edward this, and Edward that. But since I didn't introduce you, that probably means that I don't know him, right?"

Some cheerleaders frowned, as though they were trying extremely hard to follow my logic. Sadly, most of the girls in this group were a bit dumb. Which was why they relied heavily on appearance rather than academics.

"Can't you just ask him?" Lauren asked. She probably hadn't even heard anything I'd just said. "Put in a good word for me. Please, Bella?"

"I told you! I don't know him!" This was getting ridiculous.

"Guys," Angela said. "Bella says that she doesn't know him. Then she doesn't know him. Why would she lie about something like that? She has no reason to."

"Come on, Bella," Lauren said. "Stop lying. I totally understand why you want to keep him to yourself, but I really like him and I want to ask him out-"

"Then ask him out!" I said. "Ask him out and find out for yourself if he accepts or not. I really don't know him."

Lauren opened her mouth to respond when someone slid into the empty spot next to me and said, "Don't know whom?"

The cheerleaders' eyes bugged out, and Lauren, Jessica, and Angela all gaped. I bit my lip at the sound of his voice. He had perfect timing. Why now? And why was he here? It was bad enough that he'd caused my friends to not believe me. Was he going to ruin my lunch hour now too?

I turned my head to see Edward Cullen sitting next to me, though his body faced in the other direction. He had one hand on the seat as he leaned backward to see me in his position.

He grinned at me playfully. "Hi, Bella."

I gave him an annoyed look. Then, I looked behind me, only to see a group of football jocks standing there, studying me amusedly. It was obvious that they were waiting for their leader to snap out of it and see whom he was talking to. Nerdy, clumsy Isabella Swan.

"What's up, Bella?" Mike Newton, one of the jocks that I recognized, said, nodding at me. He looked rather sincere as he asked. Like he really cared.

"Clumsy, as always," Austin Marks, another one that I recognized, joked, and he and a couple of other guys high-fived each other, laughing.

"Are you serious?" I asked flatly. He was going to bring along his friends to torture me now too? This was going too far. Couldn't a girl have peace at this place?

Edward looked at his friends, looking amused. "Ignore them. They're being rude, as usual."

"Hey," Mike said, raising his hands in surrender. "You're the one that wanted to come here to say hi to Bella." He winked at me seductively.

I looked away swiftly and carelessly, knowing better than to fall for his charms.

Edward looked abruptly irritated as he aimed a kick at Mike's shins. "Mike," he said coldly. He gave Mike a warning look.

I couldn't tell if he was angry because Mike had just been flirting with me, or if it was because of what he'd said. But apparently, Mike understood because he shut up immediately.

"Oh…my…" Lauren gulped, gawking at the gorgeous boy next to me.

I had to admit it. Edward was handsome. He looked sexier every time I saw him. I would have to be a fool to deny it. And I had no problem admitting it. It was the truth anyway. It was a fact that he was handsome, but I just wasn't interested in him like every girl at this school was.

Edward swung himself around so that his body was facing the same way as mine did. Simultaneously, his friends began mingling with the cheerleaders in our group, which they all look thrilled about.

Suddenly, the entire school was staring at us. Staring at the giggly cheerleaders and flirty jocks. Looking at Edward Cullen, who just happened to be sitting next to me. And now, they were staring at _me_ too. Brilliant.

"No accidents today?" Edward asked, smiling.

I glanced at Lauren, wondering if she'll take advantage of Edward being here. She could get him off of my tail.

But no, of course not. She and Jessica were busy, flirting with Mike. Apparently, they'd changed targets from Edward to someone easier to manipulate.

I glanced at Angela next to me, wondering if she'll come to my rescue. Fat chance. She and Ben were carrying out an intense conversation about the movie they'd seen last night.

I was on my own. So much for friends.

"No," I replied shortly.

It wasn't that I disliked him. I was just embarrassed that he was paying attention to me. My clumsiness had probably caught his eye, and he was now amusing himself by teasing me. Why did I have to bump into the most popular guy in school? _Why? _I felt like crying.

"So what are you doing over break?" he asked casually.

I frowned as I played with my food. I'd lost my appetite. "Nothing."

Edward studied me. "You don't like me."

My head shot up from my plate, surprised. "Whoever said that?"

He smiled. "Then you don't hate me?"

"Why would I hate you?"

He shrugged, tearing his eyes away from me and looking across the quad. "For bumping into you. For teasing you. I'm not sure, but I can tell that you get annoyed when you see me."

I felt guilty. I didn't even know this boy, and I realized that I'd probably been making judgements.

"I don't hate you," I said carefully. "I was just embarrassed because…" I flushed, thinking about that first day that I'd bumped into him. "I'm normally clumsy, but you were the first one at this school that actually witnessed the full extent to my coordination."

Edward looked at me, surprised. Then, he started to laugh. It was quiet and musical, but the whole school seemed to watch, fascinated. I felt uncomfortable.

"Don't laugh," I said, my irritation renewed. "It's not funny. I've been tripping and falling my entire life, and I swear, it's never funny."

Edward stopped laughing. "Sorry. I'm just surprised. I thought you would say something like how it was because everyone knew me. I didn't realize that you would be embarrassed. Do you normally glare at people when you're embarrassed?"

I sighed as he started chuckling again.

"Edward," Jessica sang, her voice an octave higher than usual. "How do you and Bella know each other? I mean, really? Because she refuses to tell us."

I looked at her in disbelief. Edward glanced at me, amused. "I'm sure whatever she told you was the truth."

Now _Jessica_ looked incredulous. "No way. You mean you guys really just bumped into each other numerous times? I doubt it. Are you sure that she didn't do it on purpose, because she knew that you were rich and popular?"

I blinked, confused. "Rich?"

Edward's expression changed instantly. It went from politeness to coldness. "No, I'm sure she didn't."

Everyone in our group was listening in now. The boys looked slightly worried as they glanced at Edward. The cheerleaders were gawking.

Jessica didn't seem to get the hint. "How's that deal going anyway? Any luck with that? Of course, since you're the heir to the Cullen-"

"Jessica!" Mike interrupted. "Come here, I'd like to speak to you privately."

Jessica looked rather flattered and nearly tripped running after him. The other boys grabbed onto several cheerleaders and walked away with them, saying that they needed to tell them something too.

In the end, only Angela, Ben, Edward, and I were left.

"Heir?" I repeated.

I was frowning, preoccupied and looking at the ground. I didn't notice Ben telling Angela something silently while Edward watched me warily.

"So Bella," Ben said hastily, after Angela had nodded in agreement to whatever he'd said. "Do you want to join Ang and me after school? We're going to go to the ice skating rink."

I looked up at him. "Ice skating? In this weather?" I looked up at the sky. It was dark with storm clouds moving toward town. The wind was beginning to blow slightly harder. It looked like rain was on the way. I shivered.

"Well, we'll be inside, so…" Angela said, trailing off. "It should be fine. Do you want to come?"

I smiled. "No. I don't want to be a third wheel. Three's a crowd. Go have fun."

Angela gave me a distracted smile, looking as though she was worried about me. What was going on?

One by one, the cheerleaders began returning with the jocks. They all glanced at Edward, then at me, but didn't say anything. This was driving me insane.

"So, clumsy girl," Edward said lightly. "Enlighten me. I heard you made yourself a reputation in this school. As the smart and clumsy girl."

I blushed, looking down again. "Not really." I frowned, then looked up at him. "You should talk, seeing as how you're popular yourself."

His lips twitched. "Believe me, I'd like nothing better than to be a normal guy at this school. But…" He leaned back, his hands behind him, supporting his weight. "It's not as easy as it sounds."

"Why not?" I asked, finding the subject intriguing now. "You just don't have to hang out with popular kids and not be on the football team."

"I'm not on the football team anymore." He peeked at me. "Does that qualify?"

I smiled once. "Not really. Everyone already knows you anyway."

Edward studied me. "I'm not popular because I was on the football team. I'm popular for a…different reason."

"What is it?"

He smiled wryly. "If you haven't noticed, my friends have just hushed up all the cheerleaders for that reason. I'm hoping I don't have to tell you, at least for a while."

"Why not?"

"Because I'd like to get to know you a bit better," Edward said sincerely, giving me a small smile. "You intrigue me. And I want to find out if you can appreciate me for who I really am, instead of my exterior."

I raised my eyebrow. "And why do you want to get to know me? It'll probably ruin your reputation."

"On the contrary, you'll help increase it," he corrected. "Believe me, I know."

I sighed. I rose from my seat to dump my food. He followed me. This boy was unbelievable.

"Look," I said impatiently, facing him after dumping my trash. "I don't know why you want to get to know _me_. But I really don't have time for this. If you haven't noticed, I'm a bit busy because I'm a junior, and I'll probably be studying during winter break. So let's not step over the line, okay?"

"You can't stop me from trying," he countered.

"I can't imagine why you would want to try," I said.

"Why don't you give me a chance and see if I qualify to become your friend?" Edward asked, amused again.

I sighed again as we walked back. "A senior wants to be friends with a junior? And especially a popular guy… Well, I have to say I'm flattered. But no, thanks. I have a feeling you'll just be annoying me half the time."

I grabbed my backpack and walked away. This time, he didn't try to follow, for which I was grateful. His attention on me _was_ flattering, but I didn't like it.

* * *

**AN: Do you think you would refuse friendship with a drop-dead gorgeous guy who asked to be your friend? I would probably be intimidated and self-conscious to be around him, but I think I would accept his offer. What do you think? Are you like Bella? Like me? Or different opinion? Reviews?**


	10. Chapter 10: Rain

**Author's Note: Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.**

* * *

**Chapter 10**

To my disbelief, it started raining during sixth period. Hard.

The weather had been weird today, and I shouldn't have been surprised. The clouds had been gray and stormy, and I'd thought rain was on the way. Still, I'd expected it to come after school ended.

What a way to ruin your good mood when your winter break was right in front of your nose.

What bothered me the most was that I'd parked too far away today. My last period was in the furthest building from the parking lot. I was so screwed. I hadn't even thought to bring an umbrella. Stupid me, as usual.

I stayed behind to talk to the teacher after the bell rang, hoping the rain would slow. But no luck. It just came down harder. Finally, I resigned myself to running through the rain.

After a trip to my locker, I stood outside, under the building shelter, looking out into the rain. Most cars were gone, except for a few. I saw mine about one hundred yards away.

And the rain just came down harder.

Sighing, I raised my carry-on item – a binder – over my head, and ran. Luckily, the ground hadn't held up a lot of water, so my feet didn't get too wet.

Still, there was my clumsiness to worry about. And when it rained, I tended to get more nervous about my coordination, which, naturally, led to more tripping and falling.

I still had a long way to go when I slipped. I knew I was going to fall, and I braced myself. But my bottom never touched the cold, wet ground. Instead, someone wrapped their arm around my waist firmly and steadied me.

I blinked rapidly, trying to blink the rainwater out of my eyes. I noticed a huge, black umbrella above me, shielding me from the rain.

Surprised, I looked to my left at my savior. Of course. My hero, as always.

Edward Cullen was staring at me with an unfathomable expression on his face. His hair was messier than usual, as though he'd been running his fingers through them for the last hour constantly, but it looked really good on him. His beautiful emerald green eyes were piercing and charismatic, but somehow, there was gentleness in it too.

Unable to speak, I stared back at him, still blinking in shock. Why was it that this boy appeared out of nowhere whenever I was in trouble? I mean, not that I was complaining…

As I got lost in his deep green eyes, I began to notice other things. Like how warm and comfortable my body felt when I was leaning against his. How perfectly my body shape fit into his, like a puzzle. How tightly he was grabbing onto me unnecessarily. How dazed he looked as he stared at me.

After what seemed like a million years, I was the first one to recover. Instead of leaning against him, I straightened up quickly, clearing my throat, embarrassed. Must he always be the one to experience my embarrassment all the time?

I avoided his gaze. I could feel the blush creeping up onto my cheeks. This was so embarrassing. It was humiliating.

Still, I didn't move. I waited for him to start teasing me. If I just left him here, then he would track me down after winter break and taunt me even more. In front of the whole school. I'd rather endure it now and get it over with.

"Are you okay?"

His voice surprised me. There was no hint of teasing whatsoever. He was sincerely asking me if I was fine. He sounded like he was really concerned about me. Like he cared.

I almost laughed out loud at the thought. Why would the most popular guy in school care anything about me? Right.

Don't be fooled, Bella, I told myself. This is just another one of his tricks. Trying to make a girl swoon. Well, it won't work on me.

Still, he had saved me, and I knew that thanking him was only polite.

"Yes," I said. "Thank you."

I could feel that my face was still hot. I refused to look at him and stared very hard at my car. It was just straight ahead. A few more yards, and I could be inside the safe shelter of my car. I considered making a run for it before he said anything more.

"Why were you out so late?"

I looked at him, confused.

Edward gave me a slight smile. "I was waiting for you."

He was waiting for me? Why would he wait for me?

"I told you I wanted to be friends with you, didn't I?" he pointed out, as though he had read my mind.

I looked away, scowling. "And I thought I told you that I wasn't interested in becoming a jock's toy?"

He sighed. "You're making this extremely hard. Do you not hear my sincerity, Bella?"

"Sincerity," I repeated. "Yes. I do hear it, actually."

"Then what's the problem?"

For the first time in my life, I looked away from my car and looked at the rain. _Really_ looked at it.

It was hard to see because it came down so quickly. But I realized that the rain that I'd despised so much… It was beautiful.

There was no other sound in the parking lot except for the rain splattering down onto the concrete. But the sound that had been so annoyingly deafening before was music in my ears.

I took a small step away from him to reach out from the huge umbrella. I flinched slightly when the heavy rain splashed down onto my hand, the coldness shocking me slightly. I'd expected it, but it still made me start.

"People like you are just like the rain," I said quietly.

Edward cocked his head. "Jocks?"

"No," I corrected. "People like _you_. You're popular and you have this school pretty much wired, but I don't put you under the same category as your other friends. You're different, somehow. There's something about you that draws a thin line between them and you."

"I don't get what you're saying, Bella," Edward said gently.

I exhaled. "The rain…it's beautiful. It's beautiful and it's like music. Don't you think?"

He looked away from me and looked out into the parking lot, at the rain.

"But…it's cold. It can be annoying, and it can be tiresome. It can ruin the mood of some people, and sometimes, it can cause floods that sweep off everything that people care about."

Edward looked back at me, still bemused. He was wondering what I was getting at.

"And…" I hesitated, then plunged on. "It hurts." My hand closed into a loose fist, capturing the rainwater in the palm of my hand. "You expect pain when heavy rain splashes onto you. The iciness shocks you, even when you expect it."

I turned to face him. "It's like you. On the surface, you're handsome and sweet and your voice is like music. But you can be annoying and tiresome. You embarrass me constantly. And I'm sure that while you don't realize that you're doing it, you hurt people. And I'm afraid of that. People with as much power as you have don't know how to control it. I'll probably expect pain if I become your friend. I'll probably wait for that day, when you will hurt me. I'll try to brace myself, but in the end… I'll still be shocked and hurt by the pain."

Edward blinked at my analogy.

I smiled wryly. "I don't know why you want to be friends with me. But there's just something about you that bothers me. It's nothing bad. I'm just a cautious person. But those girls that are obsessed with you are willingly to be friends with you. Go play with them."

I turned back away and raised my binder over my head again. I began walking away again when his hand closed around my elbow. The umbrella was over me again.

His expression was hard this time. "I know myself pretty well. If I knew that I was going to hurt you, Bella, I would never even have started this. I wouldn't have bothered to save you each time you were in trouble. So even if you refuse to talk to me, I'll still try. You can't stop me from doing that."

I shot him an annoyed look. This guy just didn't get it, did he? He was quite tenacious and stubborn.

"Why can't you leave me alone?" I asked.

"Why can't you accept me?" he countered.

I studied him. I could tell that he _really_ wanted to be friends with me. Why, though? I was nothing. I couldn't give him anything. He probably had everything.

"What do you want from me?" I asked slowly.

His lips twitched, and his eyes smoldered. He was smiling again, although it was tiny. "Your number."

"What?"

But he was already reaching into my jacket pocket, where my phone was sticking out slightly. He pulled it out and fiddled with it quickly while I stared at him, dumbfounded. What was he doing?

He paused, looking down at the screen, then returned it to me after three seconds. "Don't be surprised if you get a call from an unknown number."

I stared at him, my eyes wide. He grinned, then turned and walked away, leaving me behind in the rain.

* * *

When I got home, I changed into comfortable, dry clothes. There was no homework, as it was break, so I plopped down on my bed and took out my phone.

There was nothing different about it. I wondered what he'd been doing.

I shrugged, then tossed my phone next to me carelessly. I fell backward on my bed and closed my eyes, feeling the comfort underneath me.

He was one strange guy.

* * *

**AN: What do you think Edward did? I think it was pretty obvious though. Reviews, please!**


	11. Chapter 11: Blabbermouths

**Author's Note: Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.**

* * *

**Chapter 11**

**Edward's Point of View**

I was playing the piano softly when the sound of my siblings' voices began ringing throughout the mansion. They'd finally come home for winter break.

"What's up?" Emmett shouted dramatically when they entered the living room and saw me.

I rolled my eyes but smiled. "Welcome home, guys."

Alice's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Why do _you_ look so happy?"

"I do not."

"Yes, you do," she retorted. She perked up. "I know! That girl!" She ran over and sat with me on the piano bench, her eyes sparkling. "Come on, Edward, spill!"

"No way!" Emmett looked horrified. "You mean I owe Alice a hundred bucks? You saw her again?"

"Ha!" Alice said triumphantly. "I _told_ you!"

"Where are Jasper and Rosalie?" I asked. "I thought they were coming with you."

"They're outside, parking the cars," Alice said dismissively. "But never mind that. What happened?"

"What's with the raised voices?" Jasper drawled in his slight Southern accent as he and Rosalie strolled in. "Something exciting, Alice?"

"That girl! He met her again! Emmett owes me!"

"You told them?" I asked, frowning. "You big blabbermouths."

"No kidding?" Rosalie asked, smiling. "That's great."

"Why do you look so happy?" Jasper asked.

"That's exactly what I asked," Alice said impatiently. "Come on, Edward! Please!"

I stopped playing because I couldn't hear the music over the loud voices. It was giving me a headache. "Welcome home, all of you. Now, if you'll excuse me…"

I was about to get up when Alice pulled me back down. "Oh, no, you don't. You're going to tell us everything, from beginning to end. Absolutely no editing. And then, you will play the song you made for me on the piano. I missed it."

I sighed and began to play it. Immediately, Alice perked up, and she grinned. "Perfect, as always."

"So?" Emmett asked, jumping lightly onto the white grand piano. "What happened?"

Resigned, I began telling them everything as I swayed along to the music. Most people wouldn't have been able to play and talk at the same time, but I was so used to the piece that I didn't need to think to play it anymore.

I finished along with the music, and I bowed my head as I played the last chord with a flourish.

Rosalie grinned and clapped her hands. "Bravo. Beautiful as always, Edward."

I smiled slightly. "So that's all."

"That really isn't anything," Emmett mumbled. "Why do you look so happy?"

I grinned wider. "Because I have her phone number."

Alice gasped dramatically. "No kidding! Let me see!"

"No way."

"Come _on_! I need to call her! I need to meet her! Rosalie, we need to go see what she's like, and see if she's perfect for Edward! And then, we'll go shopping-"

Rosalie laughed. "Calm down, Alice. They're not even dating."

"And according to Edward," Jasper added, "she doesn't even want to be friends with him."

"Yet," Alice retorted. "She will be. I just know it. So let me see it, Edward. Please?" She put on her puppy dog eyes she knew that I could never resist.

I laughed. "Nice try, but it's not on paper. It's in here." I tapped my head.

"How can you memorize someone's number by just looking at it once?" Emmett asked in disbelief.

I shrugged.

"I can," Alice put in. "Say them once. Please?"

I glared at her. "No. You have a good memory too. You'll just remember it and-"

"Edward-" she began to argue.

"Hey," Esme said, entering the room. "You're here. Welcome home, guys. It's good to see you two as well, Jasper, Rosalie."

"Hi, Esme," Rosalie said, smiling and waving at her. Jasper went to go kiss her on the cheek.

"Please?" Alice whined. "Edward?

"Shh!" I hissed.

Too late.

"What's going on?" Esme asked. "Did something happen?"

"Edward-" Alice began immediately, but I cut her off by slapping my hand over her big mouth.

"Nothing, Mom," I said, flashing her an innocent grin. "Alice wanted to take me shopping tomorrow, but I told her no. She's been whining ever since five minutes ago."

I was such a smooth liar that everyone always believed me. And Esme was no exception.

"I see," Esme said, smiling. "Alice, give your brother a rest. He's frustrated because of the deal we made with him, remember? Don't bother him during your stay."

"Mm!" Alice protested against my mouth. "Bufee fou fomwon!"

Esme frowned in disapproval. "Act like a lady, please, Alice. I hope you won't do that during the New Year's party, when all the big presidents and their families are there."

"Mm!" Alice said, scowling at me.

Esme chuckled before disappearing.

I released my sister, who shot a death glare at me. I glared right back at her.

"Don't do that again!" she snapped.

"You were going to tell her something and make her hope!" I retorted.

"Alright, you two," our elder brother intervened. "Stop."

"What were you saying?" Rosalie asked Alice.

Alice huffed. "I was _trying_ to say, 'But he found someone', but of course, _someone_ had his hand over my mouth so I couldn't say it properly!"

"Don't tell them anything," I warned. "Or I'm never speaking to you again."

Alice grimaced.

"So are you going to call her?" Jasper asked me.

I shrugged. "Maybe. Maybe not."

"Why don't you invite her to the New Year's party?" Rosalie asked.

"I barely know her," I said, frowning.

"Well, well," a new voice said from the doorway. "Who do we have here? Our little hyenas are back, eh?"

"Hey, Daddy!" Alice said, waving with a huge grin her face.

Carlisle chuckled. "How's my little gazelle?"

"Gazelle," Emmett scoffed. "Carlisle, when are you going to stop treating her like she's a five-year old?"

"She's always a five-year old," I said, grinning playfully. "Haven't you noticed how small she is? I bet even an average five-year old is taller than she is."

Alice pouted. "It's not my fault. You probably took away the gene for height, seeing as how you're well over six feet."

"Daddy's little girl," I teased. "When are you going to be a big girl and act like one?"

She laughed. "Never. But I'm Little Bro's girl now, haven't you noticed?" She linked her arm through mine and laid her head on my shoulder. "My cute baby brother."

I shook my head. "I'm far from cute."

"Fine. My handsome, gorgeous, sexy baby brother. When did you grow so big and started acting like you were older than I am?"

"Ugh, I don't think I can watch this anymore," Emmett said, jumping off the piano. He reached for Rosalie. "Let's act all lovey-dovey as a form of revenge, Rosie."

"I'm all alone," Jasper teased. "I'm hurt, Alice."

Carlisle chuckled. "Well, I can see that the house is going to be noisy for a few weeks. I'm glad. With only Edward around, it was getting to be a bit _too_ quiet. He never brings home any friends…_or_ girls for that matter." He gave me a look. "Esme and I are getting worried, Edward. Almost to the point where we would _probably_ welcome even inappropriate sounds coming from your bedroom when you're all alone with a girl."

I chuckled. "As if."

Carlisle studied me. "Found anyone yet?"

"Oh!" Alice said, perking up.

But I slapped her mouth shut again. "No."

Alice shot me a death glare.

Carlisle wasn't fooled. "What is it?" His lips curled up, and he perked up. "You've found someone? Really? What kind of a person is she? When did you start dating?"

I glared at my sister. "I'm not dating anyone."

"Oh, what's the point?" Emmett asked. He turned to our father. "Edward's fallen in love with this random girl he bumped into at school. He's crazy about her."

I resisted the urge to throw something at him. My siblings…betrayers.

Carlisle smiled widely. "What's her name, Edward?"

"Isa-" Emmett began to answer for me.

"I'll tell you when I get to know her better," I said, cutting him off with a _I'll-kill-you-if-you-tell_ stare at my brother.

"I'm proud of you," Carlisle said, pleased. "I knew you could do it." He winked. "I'm looking forward to meeting her, Edward." And he left the room.

As soon as the door closed behind him, I grabbed a spare eraser on the piano and chucked it at my brother. "You blabbermouth!"

Emmett's hand flashed up and he caught the eraser easily. He'd played football in high school as well, and his reflexes were still perfect. "Relax, bro. I did you a favor. Carlisle and Esme won't be worried as much anymore. Besides, you only have six months left. Tick tock, clock's ticking. Better get to know her, kid."

"True, that," Jasper agreed. "Can we see her?"

"No," I said darkly, glowering. "You guys are mean pinheads, you know that?"

Alice cackled evilly. "We know." She and Emmett air high-fived each other from across the room, looking satisfied.

I sighed, exasperated. As much as I was glad to have the extra noise around for winter break, a part of me was irritated by the fact that I'd be stuck with them for two weeks.

* * *

**AN: So there was a little sibling moment between the three of them. Do you guys fight with your siblings too? I have a brother who's nine years younger than I am, so we don't fight much. But I'm going through puberty, so I get really touchy sometimes. Those are times when I snap at him for no reason, and I always feel sorry toward him. I'm sure, when we're both adults, we'll become mature than we are right now. Reviews?**


	12. Chapter 12: Discovered

**Author's Note: So! Hi y'all. Here's another chapter for you. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.**

* * *

**Chapter 12**

**Bella's Point of View**

"How were your exams?" Charlie asked as he stuffed a spoonful of mashed potatoes and gravy in his mouth. He was still in his uniform, having arrived home recently.

"Easy," I answered. "Either that, or I failed all of them." I smiled.

"You passed, then."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm pretty sure I did. I couldn't believe the questions that came up on the finals."

"You study too much," Charlie chided. "That's why it was so easy. That's bad for you, you know. Why don't you go out with Angela?"

"She has a boyfriend, Dad," I said. "And I'm sure Jess and Lauren have plans as well."

He frowned. "It's winter break. Are you going to stay home for two whole weeks?"

"Of course not. I'll go out to the grocery store now and then."

"Very funny."

I grinned. "Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. You just focus solely on work, okay?"

"Sure, Bells."

"Speaking of work, anything interesting happen?"

"Not really," Charlie replied. "There's a lot more work here than there was in Forks because the city's bigger. But nothing too big. Just a couple of drug gangsters and a report on fraud. As usual."

"You're pretty used to New York already, aren't you?" I asked.

He shrugged. "It really wasn't anything to begin with."

"I would think that New York would be high in crime," I said. "Considering the amount of people there are in the city."

He grinned, setting down his eating utensils. "You would, wouldn't you? Surprisingly…not too much."

Charlie was watching the news in the living room while I cleaned the dishes. Then, I joined him on the sofa and stared at the reporter blankly, not really listening.

Charlie placed the TV on mute, something he never did, and we talked about school and his work as we watched the pictures flicker past.

"Wanna watch something else?" Charlie offered after a while.

Something caught my eye as he changed the channel.

"Wait! Turn back!"

Confused, he turned back to the news.

I stared at the blonde-haired man on the news. I didn't know what the report was about, but the handsome man looked familiar. I didn't know why. I was sure I hadn't seen him before.

"What's wrong, Bella?" my father asked blankly.

My eyebrows creased as I tilted my head. "Why does he look so familiar?"

Charlie looked back at the TV. "Him? Carlisle Cullen?"

"You know him?"

"Sure, Bells," he said, looking at me strangely. "He's a big shot in the business world. His company is the biggest in the world."

I looked at him. "Company?"

"Cullen Corporations?" he said. "Never heard of it?"

I turned back to the TV blankly. "I think I might have."

"He lives right here in New York City," Charlie said. "I met him a couple days ago, when I was meeting with the mayor. He donated a couple million to the city, and the mayor wanted to thank him personally, so he stopped by. He's a good guy, Carlisle. Friendly and well-mannered for a multi-billionaire."

"Cullen…" I muttered. It can't be. No way. But it was too much of a coincidence.

They looked alike. They had the same surnames. And hadn't he said something about wanting to see if I could like him for him, and not by his background?

I hadn't known what he'd meant then, but maybe this was the answer. Could Edward Cullen be one of Carlisle Cullen's children?

"Does he have any children?" I asked.

"Oh, yeah," Charlie said. "Carlisle and I got to talking when the mayor got a call on his phone and went out. He's got three kids. Two of them are in college already, and one is a senior in high school. It's hard to believe it, actually; look how young the man looks!" He shook his head.

I bit my lip. "What's his name?"

"Eh?"

"The one in high school. What's his name?"

"Uh…I think he might have told me, but I can't really remember it… Hang on, it's coming to me. The oldest one was Emmett. The second one was…Alice? Maybe. The third one…it started with an E." He scratched his head.

I swallowed. "Edward?"

"Edward. That's the one. You know him? Carlisle said he goes to South View High. Your school."

I nodded once. "I might have seen him…once or twice." I didn't mention that the same guy wanted to be friends with him. Too much information. Besides, I barely knew him. "He's pretty popular."

Charlie yawned.

"So," I said, trying to sound casual. "The Cullens…they're famous?"

"Oh, yeah," he said. "The family's been in the business for generations. Famous as always… Carlisle's a part-time doctor as well. His wife does interior decorating."

"You know a lot."

"We talked for about an hour 'cause the mayor took so long with his phone call. A lot can happen in an hour."

I let the matter rest. Who cares? It wasn't like I was going to see him again. In a huge school like South View, it was perfectly normal and totally possible to not see a person for the rest of the school year.

Hopefully.

**Edward's Point of View**

"Edward?" Alice called as she walked into my huge bedroom.

"What?" I was sitting on my bed, leaning on the bedpost, and reading a book.

"Mom wants you to go to the grocery store for her," she said. "She needs a few more things for Christmas dinner."

"Eh?" I said, confused. "What about the usual Christmas party?"

Alice rolled her eyes. "It's been called off this year, remember? They're having it on New Year's Eve from now on."

I closed my book. "That makes more sense."

"And costs less," Alice added. She smiled. "We're starting a new tradition. Christmas dinner, family only."

"Do I have to go?" I asked, lying down on my bed lazily. "It's Christmas Eve, pixie. It's snowing outside, and I don't want to do anything but read. Can't Emmett or Jasper go?"

She laughed. "You know Em and Jazz are horrible at grocery shopping. You're the cook in our family, besides Esme." She brandished a piece of paper at me. "Here's the list."

I glowered at her. "Can you come with me?"

Alice stuck out her tongue. "I promised Jazz that I'll play with him."

I smirked. "In bed?"

She swatted at me. "Cards."

I sighed. "What about Rosalie?"

"Eh…she and Em are busy." She grimaced, and I understood.

"Okay," I mumbled, snatching the list from her.

She flounced out. "Drive safely."

Twenty minutes later, I was walking inside the grocery store with my hood up to block the snow. I grabbed a shopping cart and strolled through the aisles.

I wasn't in any hurry. The store was practically empty because it was nine o'clock at night. Everyone would be inside the house, spending time with their families.

Although I'd been lazy to get out of the house, now that I was here, it felt nice to be worrying about something normal. What kind of merchandise I was going to get for Esme. How much it costs. It was better than worrying about something abnormal, like stupid deal I'd made my parents and company.

Sighing, I looked down at the list Esme had made. Some of the items were mostly things that we used in daily life. Nothing fancy we'd need for Christmas dinner.

I went through the vegetable and fruits section quickly, then wandered into the aisle where they sold spices, peanut butter, and jam.

I frowned at the many brands of strawberry jam. Which one was I supposed to get?

I was startled when a sudden, unknown force banged into my shopping cart. Bewildered, I looked away from the shelves and glanced at the culprit.

It seemed to be a girl. She had her hood up so that her face was lost in the baggy hoodie. But she was someone that I could never forget, even in my dreams.

"Sorry," she mumbled, biting her lip. She reached down to pick up a container of peanut butter she'd knocked onto the ground.

I grinned. "Hey, clumsy."

She froze, then looked up, her eyes wide with disbelief. She frowned when she confirmed who it was. She looked irritated as she placed the peanut butter back on the shelf.

"You never cease to fascinate me," I said cheerfully. "How's your winter break going?"

"Fine," Bella mumbled, turning to the shelves. She had a list in her hand as well.

"You don't look happy to see me," I noted amusedly. "Why is that?"

She didn't reply but merely placed a small container of cinnamon in her cart. She began to push her cart past me.

"Wait, Bella."

She paused, then looked back at me, annoyed.

I smiled wryly. "Can you help me?" I gestured toward the shelves. "I'm supposed to be getting a jar of strawberry jam, but I'm not sure which one is the best."

Bella studied me carefully. "Do you always do the shopping at your house?"

I shoved my hands in my hoodie pocket. "Sometimes."

She was still looking at me suspiciously, but she reached out and grabbed a jar of Smucker's strawberry jam. "Here."

"Is this the best one?" I asked dubiously, taking it and turning it over in my hands.

She shrugged. "It's the only brand my father ever eats."

I smiled. "Thanks." I glanced at her cart. It was filled with ordinary items required for daily use. "No Christmas dinner?"

She smiled at that one. "No. It's just my father and me at home, so it's not something we do."

I studied her. "Your mother?"

"Florida," she answered promptly, placing another jar of Smucker's strawberry jam in her own cart.

"Why is she in Florida?"

"Because that's where she lives."

I wondered if I'd hit a touchy subject. I was hesitant to question her further, but Bella seemed to sense it.

She looked at me, then smiled slightly. "My parents are divorced."

"I'm sorry."

She shrugged nonchalantly. "It's been a while, so it doesn't bother me anymore."

"Don't you miss your mother?"

The question seemed to surprise her. Maybe no one had ever asked her before.

"Sometimes," she said, looking down at her list. "But I'd rather live with Charlie because…" She smirked. "He can't cook to save his life. I have to take care of him somehow."

I chuckled. I was glad she was opening up, at least a little. "What does he do?"

She glanced at me warily, hesitant. Finally, she answered, "He's the police chief here in New York City."

My eyes widened in surprise. "Seriously?"

She nodded. Then, her eyes narrowed at me. "It's not as surprising as your family being big shots in the business world."

It took me a while to get what she was saying. I blinked, surprised again. So she'd found out. How?

Bella's expression was challenging as she waited for my reaction.

Finally, I recovered. "How did you find out?"

She rolled her eyes. "It was impossible to keep your background a secret in the first place. Did you ever think about publicity? Your father made a donation to the city a couple days ago. It was bound to be on the news."

I felt a flicker of irritation with myself. Of course. Once she'd seen my father, it would've been easy to put two and two together. She wasn't an idiot.

I didn't know what to say.

"It's okay," Bella told me, smiling slightly now. "I understand why you tried to hide it from me. You wanted to see if I would like you for you, instead of your money and background. I would've done it too."

I nodded slowly. "And are you going to be my friend now because I'm rich and famous?" I raised my eyebrow, challenging her.

She scoffed. "Of course not. I have no plans to become associated with the rich. I told you. You live in a different world than I do. It's best to keep it that way." She pushed her cart past me and turned into the next aisle without a backward glance.

I couldn't help but smile in relief. Although she still had no plans to become friends with me, I could tell that she was someone who would judge someone based on their own person. She didn't care if I was rich or not.

It made me like her even more.

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**AN: I love Smucker's strawberry jam. I can't eat any other brand. Heh. Reviews, please! We've reached one hundred! Keep 'em coming!**


	13. Chapter 13: Orange

**Author's Note: Another run-in! And a New Year's party… Wondering what's going to happen? Read on!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.**

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**Chapter 13**

**Bella's Point of View**

I got a call on my cell phone as I was beginning to load the groceries inside my car. Glancing at the display impatiently, I realized that Renee was calling me.

"Hello? Oh, shoot." I bent down to retrieve a box of cereal that had just fallen out of the bag.

"Hello yourself," my mother answered cheerfully. "How's your Christmas Eve going, sweetie?"

"Same as always," I said, tossing the cereal box on top of the plastic bags that I'd already placed inside the car. "How about you?"

"It was very exciting," Renee said. "Our new neighbors were throwing a housewarming-slash-Christmas party, so we were there since five. We just got back. How about you, kiddo? No Christmas dinner again?"

I smiled as I reached for another plastic bag inside the cart. "Of course not. It's not good to spoil Dad, you know."

She laughed. "So where are you right now? I can hear the wind blowing on the other end; you outside?"

"The grocery store. I just had to pick up a couple things…" I glanced at the remainder of the items. It was way more than a couple things. As long as I was talking to Renee on the phone, transferring them into the car was going to keep me out in the cold for a long time.

"How's the weather in New York?"

I rolled my eyes. "I think I prefer Forks."

She sounded surprised. "You hate Forks."

"I don't hate it. Personally, I think it's better there than this place. My new school is just too big for my liking. Ah, no!"

An orange had slipped out of the bag and rolled away. I sighed, deciding to just let it roll around the parking lot. It was getting too cold out here.

"What happened?"

"I dropped an orange," I said sheepishly. "It's fine. So, are you and Phil having fun?"

"Oh, yeah. We got to decorating a Christmas tree we bought at…" She began droning on about her own winter break.

Meanwhile, I tucked the phone between my shoulder and my ear, and I tried to multi-task by using both hands to transfer the groceries. She didn't even seem to notice that I was hardly listening to her.

I tried to reach for the milk, but it was at the way end of the cart, far away from me. I strained to reach it, but it was no use. I was going to go around to get it when a hand reached out and grabbed it.

I stared at Edward, who was hiding a smile as he held out the milk carton toward me.

He raised his eyebrow. Then, he grabbed my now-empty shopping cart and wheeled it away, parking it along with the other carts. He came back, then set the milk carton inside my car.

"Maybe you shouldn't multi-task," he suggested. He smiled amusedly.

My eyes widened in warning, but it was too late.

"Who's that?" Renee asked, interrupting herself. "A boy?" Her tone turned mischievous. "Oh, so you're not alone, eh? Who's the lucky guy?"

I sighed. "It's nothing like that, Mom. Don't jump to weird conclusions."

Edward merely grinned as he held out the orange that I'd dropped earlier. "I thought you might want this back." He tossed the orange inside a plastic bag.

"Want what back?" Renee asked eagerly.

Both of them were impossible.

"Thanks," I mumbled. "Now please leave."

Edward looked skeptical. "Would you pick up if I called you?"

Renee gasped on the other end. "Oh, my."

"You don't even know my number," I pointed out.

He smiled slyly. "I'll see you at school. Have a good break." He turned and strode back to his Volvo, which I had just noticed, parked right across from my car.

"Oh, my, my, my," Renee gushed. "He sounds so handsome! Is he good-looking?"

I rolled my eyes as I shut the car's back door. "It's nothing like that." I slid into the driver's seat. "He's just an annoying guy I bump into at school sometimes." Literally. "I met him coincidentally at the store, and he was just returning an orange I dropped."

"Mm-hm. Yeah. Is he good to you?"

"Mom!"

"Okay, okay," she said, sounding disappointed. "Look, I've gotta go. I'll call you later, okay?"

"Bye."

I drove back to our house carefully, not wanting to slip and become involved in an accident. Charlie helped me bring in the groceries, and I organized them, then began preparing for dinner.

"Why is this orange wet?" my father asked. He had been eating oranges while he waited for me to be done with dinner, and had reached for another one. He held it up.

"Oh," I said, recognizing the one I'd dropped earlier. "I dropped it earlier. It was rolling around the parking lot before Edward-" I stopped abruptly.

"Edward?" Charlie perked up. "Is that Carlisle's son? The one in high school?"

I stayed silent, sulking. Stupid boys and nosy parents.

Luckily, he didn't prod, but annoyed me by continuously laughing.

**Edward's Point of View**

I couldn't stop thinking about her. She was very addicting, with her pleasant scent and beautiful features…

"Hello, Edward," a rather chubby woman barked out as she waddled toward me in her extremely tight-fitting dress. "How you doing, my boy?"

I smiled politely as I resisted the urge to loosen my bowtie around my neck. "Very well, thank you for asking. How are you, Madame Pointe?"

I couldn't believe that the New Year's party this year was even bigger than last year's, and there were foreigners who had come to attend as well. It was so tiring.

"Just fine, my boy! Just fine!" She tapped her chin as she studied me appreciatively. "You've grown in the past year, eh?"

I tried to smile instead of grimacing. "Have I?"

"Oh, yes, I think about three, four more inches. How tall are you, Edward?" Her French accent was quite heavy, and it was hard to distinguish the words.

Trying to be smooth about it, I switched to a language I was fortunate to be fluent in: French.

"I'm not exactly sure," I said in flawless French. "I think I might be about six feet two at the moment."

She raised her eyebrow, impressed. She replied in her native tongue as well. "You speak French very well. Did you take lessons?"

I smiled amusedly, not faking now. "French is a must in the Cullen household, Madame. After all, we have many allies in France."

She laughed. "True, true." She perked up. "Ah! Are you having any luck with that bargain you made with your parents?"

I kept my face free of disgruntlement. "I'm trying."

"I was wondering if you would meet with my daughter?" Madame Pointe asked. "She's a lovely girl, not like me, of course." She snorted as she looked down at her body. "No, no, she's very stylish and pretty and skinny."

Alice sidled up next to me curiously. Madame Pointe didn't seem to notice her tiny figure at all, which was probably what my sister had intended. She wanted to eavesdrop secretly.

I was reluctant. It wasn't the fact that I didn't believe her about her daughter. It was that I already had someone in my heart.

Before I could say anything, however, she was calling out, "Fleur!"

Alice's eyes widened when she saw the beautiful girl walk toward us fluidly. She stopped next to her mother, staring at me, looking politely curious.

Fleur Pointe was tall and built like a supermodel. She was about five feet seven, maybe, and she had long, blonde hair. She was drop-dead gorgeous.

Except I preferred brunettes. This girl was already out of my book.

"Fleur," Madame Pointe said. "This is Edward Cullen, the heir to Cullen Corps. You know about him."

Fleur nodded. "Pleasure to meet you."

"Same," I returned politely.

To my surprise, and apparently Alice's as well, Fleur nodded toward her as well. "I see you have your sister there with you."

Madame Pointe looked rather startled. "Alice! I didn't see you there!"

Alice smiled sheepishly. "It's fine. I was just curious to see how my brother was doing by himself." She, too, spoke in fluid French.

"Well?" Madame Pointe chirped. "Why don't you go off on your own, eh? I'll just go rub elbows with the old people." She winked before waddling away.

Fleur and I were standing awkwardly while Alice poked my ribs inconspicuously, urging me to cut her off. For some reason, she didn't like Fleur either.

And apparently, Fleur wasn't very interested in me either. She smiled slightly at me. "I'm sorry, but I'm needed somewhere. Do you mind if I leave you?"

"Not at all," I said, relieved. "Go right ahead."

She started to leave, then turned back. "If my mother comes back to ask if we spoke, lie to her." She winked mischievously before disappearing into the crowd. A few seconds later, I saw her linking arms with a young man about twenty feet away from us.

"Thank goodness," Alice mumbled, switching back to English. "That girl was so not right for you!"

I glanced at her. "What didn't you like about her?"

She looked horrified. "Did you _see_ her? She was nearly six feet! She's too tall for you! Tall people never go well with tall people! I hope, for your sake and mine, that your Isabella Swan isn't as tall as Pointe is!"

I shook my head. "She's around five feet four."

She sighed in relief. "Good."

"Was that all?" I asked, amused. "Her height was the problem?"

She sniffed. "It's enough. Luckily, she was already taken. Look for some other girls."

I snorted, which was probably not very gentlemanly. "I didn't come to this party to look for a suitable wife. I came here because Esme dragged me here after forcing this tux on me." I grimaced as I fiddled with my bowtie.

"Still," Alice said, looking sympathetic, "this party is a good place to find a suitable candidate. Unless…you're already set on Bella?" She looked smug.

I shook my head. "Leave Bella out of this. It's my business; I'll deal with it. When are we allowed to leave?"

"Carlisle told us we can leave basically whenever we wanted to, after about an hour. Except you, of course." She crossed her arms. "You're the heir. You're not allowed to leave until the party's over."

"That's not fair."

"Whoever said life was fair? It's your luck that you're the heir, so suck it up."

Before I could retort, she perked up and began dragging me away. "What are you doing, Alice?"

"What about that girl?" she asked, pointing.

I looked. She was a brunette alright. She was of average height, and she had a nice body. She looked quite intelligent and elegant. Overall, she was okay.

But something about her made me want to look past her. She was not the one. Just something about her…

I shook my head. "No."

"Why not? She looks perfect in my eyes."

"She is perfect," I agreed. "But not in my eyes. There's just something about her that's…displeasing."

Alice threw me a calculating look. "Just what does this Isabella look like?"

"Bella," I corrected automatically. She raised her eyebrows. "Why do you want to know?"

"Because to me, it looks like you're trying to find someone relatively close to her. She must have become your ideal woman, which is why no one here is appealing to you. I see perfect young women everywhere tonight, and yet, you're missing them."

I shrugged helplessly. "I can't help it. She's engraved into my mind."

She was smiling minutely as she studied me. Finally, she shrugged. "Fine. Forget about finding someone here then. As soon as second semester begins, you're on a mission to get close to Bella, and you're bringing her home."

"Alice-"

"What else can you do? You're obsessed with her, and you can't think of anyone else. The way I hear it, it sounds like she's _the one_ for you, so she'll become yours. Good luck, bro." She patted my arm and flounced away, no doubt going to look for Jasper.

I found the refreshment table and picked up a glass of sparkling water. I leaned on the table casually as I watched the people dancing and talking.

Alice was right. Bella had become so engraved into my head that she had become my ideal. There was no one else now. It was Isabella Swan, or nothing.

Now that I had decided on that fact, it was now my job to pursue her. Get close to her quickly and claim her. Whether she liked it or not, before she knew it, she would be in my arms, with my ring on her finger. That would be my goal.

"Edward, my boy!" another woman came skipping up to me. "How have you been doing, son?"

"Just fine, thank you."

"Have you met my daughter yet?" she asked, and I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. "She's a wonderful girl. You might consider her for a suitable candidate for your future wife. Time is running out, and you barely have six months left now!"

"I'm sorry, Mrs. West," I said, smiling politely. "I already have someone in mind."

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**AN: Smooth. Did you like it? Review, please! Lots and lots and lots!**


	14. Chapter 14: Acceptance

**Author's Note: We're back at school! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.**

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**Chapter 14**

**Bella's Point of View**

The school was buzzing. It was the first day of second semester, and everyone was greeting friends after a long holiday. Boys were bumping their fists with one another, and girls were squealing and hugging each other.

Trying to avoid the madness, I walked as quickly as I could to my locker, taking care to keep my head down. Since it was snowing lightly outside, everyone was inside the hallways, chatting loudly.

I quickly got my materials for the first two periods. And since I was feeling claustrophobic, I escaped the buildings and sat on a bench outside under a canopy.

We were all early today. The teachers had threatened to start our semester grade with a zero if we weren't on time on the first day. We still had about thirty minutes till the bell dismissed us for first period. I glanced around the outside hallways briefly to make sure no one was around, then dug into my backpack for my book.

I quickly became immersed in the story. I could see it all playing in my head, like a movie…

"Hey."

I jumped slightly as I was brought out of Storyland unpleasantly. I knew that voice. I turned to him and scowled.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Edward said, smiling apologetically. "Did I interrupt a good part?" He flipped to the cover page of my book and frowned. "_Pride and Prejudice_?"

"So now you have a problem with classics?" I asked, narrowing my eyes.

He looked innocent. "I never said that. And when did I ever have a problem with anything else about you?"

"My coordination," I pointed out flatly.

He snorted. "Everyone has a problem with your coordination. That doesn't count. And besides, I don't mind too much. Unlike you, I'm pretty light on my feet, even when you trip me, and I think you're pretty cute when you trip and blush."

I blushed slightly, though not as much as I normally would have due to the cold. I turned back to my book. "Can you leave?"

"No. I want to hear what you did over break."

"Nothing," I said. "Happy?"

He smiled as he reached over and seized the book. He confiscated it, though taking care to insert my bookmark on the correct page before closing it.

"Do you want to hear about mine?" he asked. "I've been thinking a lot over break…and I've had several epiphanies."

I sighed as I glanced longingly at the book that was now sitting next to him on the other side of the bench. "Why not?" I muttered glumly.

"I went to a New Year's party," Edward began. "There were tons of old women who were trying to introduce their daughters to me."

I glanced at him, now intrigued. "Why?"

Edward looked at me, surprised. "Oh, right. You don't know about it."

"About what?"

"The deal." His tone was disgusted, like it was the worst thing in the world.

"Care to clarify?"

Edward made a face. "There's this thing in my family. It's a…tradition. The heir marries at the age of eighteen-"

"Eighteen?" I interrupted, shocked. "That's too young, isn't it?"

He shrugged. "My great-times-a-dozen grandparents started this thing, and in their time, eighteen was quite normal. Usually, the parents would find a nice, rich girl of another big company to stick me with so that our companies can become business allies."

"Wait…" I said slowly. "So…an arranged marriage? Purely for business?"

He nodded. "I'm an exception. I'm already eighteen, and I'm supposed to be married already." He snorted. "If my ancestors were still alive, they would freak, and probably kick me out of the family." He laughed bitterly.

"So then…why are you an exception?"

"Because I'm a rebel." He laughed at his own joke.

"No, seriously," I insisted. "I want to know."

He looked at me, now wary. Why would he be wary all of a sudden?

"I want to marry for love," he said wistfully, staring into space now. "I didn't want to be a part of this. I didn't want to be the heir. Who cares if I don't inherit the stupid business?"

"You have a brother and a sister, don't you?"

"How did you know that?"

I ignored the question. It wasn't important. "Aren't they in college?"

He sighed wearily. "Yeah. Emmett's a junior at Columbia, and Alice is a NYU freshman. But the traditions say that the oldest male of the family must be named heir."

"Emmett's older than you," I pointed out.

He gave me a small smile. "Oldest male of the _Cullen_ family."

When I looked confused, he said, "Em's adopted."

"Oh." I didn't know what to say. "I see. So…"

"So the company absolutely refused to accept Emmett as the heir. He probably would have taken the title of heir gladly and spare me from the trouble. And he would still do it, if they would let him. But since he can't, he watches me suffer from the pressure of the title every day." He shrugged nonchalantly, though he couldn't hide the frustration in his eyes.

I began to see Edward Cullen in a new light. I had only seen the surface, and I had been sucked into the single story I was led to believe. I realized now that he was so much more than he seemed to be.

"So what's the deal?" I asked.

"I refused to marry this girl they introduced to me," Edward went on. "I told them that I won't follow the traditions. Of course, they were horrified at that, and they offered to hear what I wanted. Anything to talk me out of giving up the heir position. In the end, the company and my parents agreed to give me one year to find somebody I could love for the rest of my life.

"And six months has already passed." He paused. "I'd given up, actually. No matter how hard I look, no matter how hard I try to find a suitable girl, no one is…right for me. So I decided to spend the remaining six months enjoying my single life before they stuck some random girl by my side."

I heard a 'but' in his tone. I raised my eyebrows. "Did you change your mind or something?"

Edward turned to look at me intently. His gaze unnerved me, and I looked away, blushing again. I stared hard at the ground.

"Yeah," he said finally. "I changed my mind."

"Did you find someone?" I asked stiffly, still uncomfortable. He wasn't looking away.

"I did." He smiled playfully. He raised his hand and tucked a lock of hair behind my ear. "I decided that I wanted to be with her forever. But I don't think she likes me very much."

I looked at him, surprised. "There are people who don't like you?"

He started cracking up and wouldn't stop.

"I'm serious!"

"Apparently," Edward replied, still chuckling. "I think that's why I was so attracted to her in the first place. I wasn't used to a girl glaring at me the way she did. She's quite beautiful…and dense." His grin widened as though he'd just told an inside joke.

I rolled my eyes. "I'm still listening. What's your epiphany?"

"At first, I thought it was just infatuation. You know, just one of those crushes that you get over really quickly. But then, at the party, I realized that I was trying to look for a girl that resembled her. My sister suggested that I go after her instead and save myself the trouble."

Edward looked at me. "And then, I realized that it wasn't just an infatuation. I might have fallen in love with her."

"Perfect," I said sarcastically. "Why aren't you telling this to that girl? I hardly think you want _me_ to listen to you."

Edward looked thoughtful. "Because…you're my friend."

I frowned. "Edward-"

"I know you don't want to be friends with me," he interrupted. "But in my life, you're already an important person, and you can't change that. So you might as well just accept it and get used to the fact that I'm going to be following you around like a little puppy." He smiled.

"What would people think?" I asked. "What would the girl you love think?"

"Oh, she won't mind."

"You don't know that."

"Yes, I do. Because eventually, she'll be mine." He looked mischievously sly. "Do you want to bet?"

"No, thanks," I said swiftly. "I don't do bets."

He laughed. "That's another first. My brothers love gambling."

"Brothers? You have another brother?"

He made a face. "Almost. I think he might propose to her soon."

I looked away, not even bothering to ask. I was confused, but I was getting tired of his vague answers.

Edward laughed as he interpreted my expression correctly. "Sorry. I forget how little you know about me. I was talking about Jasper Whitlock. He's a friend of Emmett's and mine…and Alice's boyfriend. He goes to Columbia too. And he and my sister were high school sweethearts as well…and it looks like they aren't going to break off their relationship any time soon."

"That's…" I struggled for the right word. It was hard, because I didn't _love_ boys like other girls did. What I needed was a strong brother figure in my life… "That's sweet."

Hearing Edward speak about his life made me change my first impressions on him. He was a modest, intelligent person who didn't like to be controlled. He liked to be in charge of his own life, and even if he did have to eventually take over his father's position for the company, he wanted to do it in his own way. He was an obedient son, but also rebellious.

It made me curious about him. I wanted to learn more, which was surprising to me.

Edward handed my book back to me. "I'm going to make your life very tiresome from now on. I'll follow you around, ask you questions, and tease you about your clumsiness. Is that okay?"

It was hard to ignore his innocent, beautiful eyes. They were so deep; I felt as though I was staring straight at his pure soul. I believed him now. I believed that he wanted to be friends with me, and I believed that he was a different boy than his friends. I wanted to give him a chance. Who knows? Maybe Edward might be the brother figure that I needed.

I sighed as I placed my book in my bag. "I guess so."

Edward perked up. A happy smile spread across his lips, and that made me feel happy as well. He could be quite contagious…

"Really?" he asked. "What made you change your mind?"

"It's interesting," I mused. "Your life. You made me curious about you. So I want to learn more about you now. Will you answer my questions as well?"

"Of course," Edward replied, pulling my hair gently while watching me affectionately.

* * *

**AN: Heh. They won't be friends for long. You know Edward. He'll seize the opportunity and make her his. Reviews?**


	15. Chapter 15: Nightmare

**Author's Note: I think you'll be surprised. Read on!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.**

* * *

**Chapter 15**

I almost regretted agreeing to let him 'bother' me. I didn't think he would really do it. But he succeeded in making me feel embarrassed and mortified almost every day.

Each day, he would greet me with a surprise. Literally.

He would sneak up from behind and whisper, "Hi," in my ear, so abruptly that I always shrieked in shock. I wouldn't get to finish my conversations with my friends because he would whisk me off campus for ten minutes before first period. He bought me something to eat for breakfast because I didn't have time to eat before I came to school these days.

He was spoiling me. I had told him numerous times not to do it, but he seemed to enjoy it. He was happy when he spoiled me. So after a while, I gave up and let him be happy. After all, he was becoming a special person in my life.

I'd finally found the person I could rely on. I'd found my brother. We became close very quickly, and I began to care for him in a sibling way.

"I wonder what Edward would say to that," Angela mused slyly when I'd told her that. "I don't think he would like it very much."

"Why?" I asked, surprised. "What do you mean? Edward and I are close, Ang."

"No, no, I just mean that I think he thinks of you more than as a friend and a sister."

"What else is there?" I asked absentmindedly, turning back to my history book. "Father?"

Angela shook her head. "Very funny. No, I meant that I think he sees you as a girl."

I looked up, startled. "No way."

"It's true," Angela said, nodding confidently. "Boys are predictable. You may not be able to see it, but I can, and so can lots of other people. The way he looks at you is definitely _not _how a brother looks at his sister, and a friend looks at his friend."

"How does he look at me?" I asked. "Because to me, he's just looking at me."

She sighed, exasperated. "You're impossible, Bella. You're too dense. How can you not see it? It's written all over his face: I love Bella Swan."

I rolled my eyes. "That's a funny joke, Angela. Very funny. Now, can we talk about something else?"

"It is _not_ a joke."

"Of course it isn't," Ben said, joining us at the corner table of the library. He kissed Angela on the cheek before sitting down next to her. "Edward has it bad for you. Haven't you noticed that he's always spoiling you, following you like a lovesick puppy, and always calling or texting you?"

I frowned. "That's true, but-"

"No buts," Angela interrupted. "It's true, and you know it."

"I can tell you right now," Ben informed me, "that Edward thinks about you twenty-four/seven."

"Impossible," I said, narrowing my eyes. What game were they trying to play?

"I think he's going to confess very soon," Angela said, smiling down at her math homework as she leaned in to solve a problem. "He did tell you about the deal he made with his parents, right?"

I was more confused now than ever. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"It has to do with everything, Bella," Ben said. "It will be your future." He winked.

"Time is running out for him," Angela said. "And for you as well. So I would enjoy the freedom while you can." She winked too.

"You think you're so funny," I scoffed. "It isn't. Now, come on. Are we studying or not? Let's drop the subject, okay?"

Angela and Ben exchanged amused, _I-know-something-you-don't_ looks, but did let it go. I was about to dive back into history when the devil came striding up to us.

"Come on, Bella," Edward said, reaching for my bag and books. "Lunch."

I glared at him. "If I escaped you and came to the library during lunch, what does that mean, Edward?"

He smiled innocently. "You're getting tired of me?"

"Edward," I whined. "I haven't studied properly in a while because of you. You have to let me have some time to do it. Just because you're a senior doesn't mean _I_ am-" I shrieked when Edward grabbed my hand and pulled my out of the chair.

"Have fun!" Angela called as Edward dragged me out of the library with my stuff in his hands.

"You're eating lunch with me," he said firmly, leading me outside and to his Volvo.

"Edward!" I said, stomping my foot. "No!"

He placed my things in the back of the car, then opened the passenger's side door. "Get in, Bella."

I crossed my arms. "Make me."

He smiled my favorite crooked smile. "You really don't want to challenge me like that. You know I can make you do whatever I want. You're putty in my hands."

"And vice versa," I countered. "I'm probably your weakness, aren't I?"

I was teasing, but Edward raised his eyebrows. "Exactly. Which is why I can't let my weakness become weak. You need to eat, Bella."

"No."

Edward sighed. "Am I going to have to resort to kidnapping?"

I laughed slightly. "Maybe?"

Unexpectedly, he closed the gap between us. Stunned, I couldn't think straight and lost my chance to back away before Edward pulled me into a hug.

His hug wasn't anything unusual. Although we'd only known each other for a few weeks, we had gotten close enough to know everything about each other. Edward showed affection for me by hugging me, kissing my cheek before parting for class, and holding my hand to drag me someplace.

But this hug surprised me. It was gentler, and yet, his arms around me were still tight. He didn't say anything.

"E-Edward," I said in surprise. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." His voice sounded muffled because he was burying his face in my hair. Inhaling deeply, as always.

Once, I had asked him what he was doing. He had looked at me and said, "Inhaling your scent."

"Are you upset?" I asked, horrified. "Do you want me to go to lunch with you that much?"

He chuckled. "No, silly Bella. I wouldn't be upset about that. I just wanted to hug you. Is that a crime?"

I rolled my eyes and tried to push him away. "This is why people think we're dating."

The parking lot was silent and empty except us. It was a perfect place to start a private conversation. And Edward did just that.

"Should we?" he breathed, so softly, that I wasn't sure if I'd heard correctly.

"Edward?"

"Should we date?" Edward asked, his voice more audible now, but still quiet.

That shut me up. Where had _that_ come from?

I pulled away to look at him. "Edward. What are you saying?"

Edward sighed. "How could you be so blind, Bella?"

I just looked at him blankly.

"How can you not expect me to fall in love with you after spending so much time with you?"

My eyes widened. _What?_

"Though, of course," he murmured, "I've started loving you since I bumped into you for the first time." He reached up to touch my face. He brushed away a stray piece of hair and stroked my cheek gently.

Confused, I grabbed his hand to stop him. "What are you saying, Edward Cullen? Is this some kind of a joke? Because it isn't funny."

"No joke." He smiled. "I promise. I've loved you for a long time now, Bella."

"That's…impossible."

"Why is it impossible?" he asked. "I'm a man. And you're a beautiful woman, inside and out. It's natural that I was attracted to you, and ended up falling in love."

"This is…" I spluttered. "I don't believe you!" I took a step back, away from his hand.

He didn't look hurt, though. It was as if he'd totally expected my reaction. "You don't love me the same way," he stated.

"Of course not!" I said. "I've never even considered seeing you that way!"

He frowned slightly for the first time. "Do you know how much that frustrates me? No matter how hard I try, I can't seem to win your heart."

Everything clicked. No wonder he was so eager to be friends in the first place. Friends first, then lovers. That's what he'd been intending all along.

"Is that what you've been doing?" I demanded. "Trying to make me fall in love with you? Is that what all those hugs and kisses have been about? What is this, Edward? Were you really that desperate to seal that deal you made with your parents?"

Edward blinked, taken aback. "What do you mean?"

"I can put two and two together," I snapped. "You only wanted to use me to get what you wanted."

"No, Bella," Edward insisted. "You're misunderstanding. This had nothing to do with the deal in the first place. The deal is the furthest thing from my mind when I'm with you."

"Lies!" I accused, taking another step back.

"I'm not joking!" Edward said. "It's true. Why is it so hard to believe? Is it so impossible that I love you as a woman, when you love me as a brother?" He looked hurt.

"I can't love you like that!" I said. "I just don't see you that way!"

His expression hardened. "I need you. Not in the way that you think. But I do need you. You're everything to me. From the moment you bumped into me, you became my life. I can't change that."

I shook my head. "I can't accept it. I'm sorry, Edward."

I opened the back door of the car and retrieved my things. As I turned to leave, Edward reached out and grabbed my wrist.

"Please, Bella," he pleaded. "Consider it."

"No!" I yelled. "I can't! I won't!" I shook off his hand and faced him with angry tears in my eyes now. "It's bad enough that you wrecked what I saw. I saw the brother that I've always wanted. But now, you want me to go through the trouble of being your girlfriend. I won't do it!"

Edward looked frustrated. "What's so bad about being my girlfriend? My fiancée? Is it such a bad thing?"

My eyes widened, and my lips parted in shock. "Fiancée?" I repeated incredulously.

He continued to stare at me defiantly and unwaveringly. There was no hint of a bluff in his expression. He was dead serious about this.

"You were planning to marry me?" I choked out.

"Yes," Edward admitted. "I was. I know I won't find another woman like you, and it doesn't matter anymore. Because I fell in love with you, it doesn't matter. I find the girl I love and marry her, and I seal the deal." He sighed. "I'll admit, I did think you would be suitable to help me out of my situation. But I wasn't lying when I said I loved you. I'm completely serious about this, Bella."

I couldn't believe this. Marry? I was shocked by his confession. I was shocked by his intention to marry me. This _had_ to be some kind of a sick joke.

"Please, Bella," Edward said, his eyes smoldering. "Consider it. It's not so bad. You can have anything you want. I won't even say anything about you loving me only as a brother. I just need you to be in my life."

I shook my head slowly. "I can't."

"Why not?" he asked desperately. "Tell me. Tell me so I can fix it. I want you with me, Bella!"

"I can't!" I shouted at him. "How can you ask me to go through that? Trying to love you as a man is one thing, but going through what you're asking me to do…that's a totally different story!"

Edward looked bewildered. "What are you talking about?"

The parking lot wasn't that far from the cafeteria. We had been shouting at each other so loud that all the students of South View were filing out into the parking lot, straining to see what was going on.

A lot of them looked stunned to see us fighting. Since we never fought, it was natural that they would be shocked. Everyone quickly got the gist of why we were arguing, and they were whispering it to the newcomers, who looked blankly confused by the sight.

Great. Now the whole school knew about this. About Edward loving me in a different way than I'd realized, and him wanting to marry me. This was turning out to be such a marvelous day.

I realized now what Angela and Ben had been talking about. _Of course_. The deal. And that thing about him loving me… They had known that Edward was aiming to make me his wife all along. I was certain that everyone had known…except me. The sudden realization made me feel pathetic and idiotic. Why hadn't I figured this out earlier? So stupid…

"In case you haven't noticed," I said loudly, "your family is one of the most famous people in the world! And soon, you'll be taking over your father's position as the head of Cullen Corporations! You expect me to go through the difficulties of being your _wife_? Do you realize how much I have to do? I'll always be burdened by the amount of pressure on me, by the fact that people will always expect so much from us! Do you _want_ that, Edward?"

The confusion in his eyes cleared. "That's…" He struggled to find the correct words. "That's irrelevant. You'll be trained to do your work properly-"

"That's it?" I snapped. "This is me we're talking about! Don't be so selfish! Marrying you would mean that I would be giving up everything that I wanted to do. Accepting your love and agreeing to become part of the Cullen family would mean that I'm giving up my freedom and surrendering myself to the family business. I can't do that, Edward. I have my own life to live."

Edward was getting desperate. He could obviously sense that he was losing me. "Bella. Calm down and listen to me. It's not how you think it is. You can do whatever you want. I mean that. You can go to college and become whatever you want to be. A doctor, a lawyer, whatever. All I'm asking-"

"No, Edward," I cut him off sharply, tears in my eyes. "I don't want to do it. I'm sorry, but I can't do that. Even if there weren't all those reasons to refuse…" I shook my head. "Why would I want to marry someone who I don't even love?"

Edward's expression crumpled. "Bella…"

"I can't marry for money or fame, or just because you want me to. I'm sorry, Edward."

I turned on my heel and walked away from the scene quickly. I could feel many pairs of eyes watching me as I tried to escape his presence as fast as my legs could carry me.

It just wasn't possible that he had been feeling differently than I had been. This had to be a dream. I just couldn't believe that I had gained and lost someone who was like a brother to me in a matter of merely four weeks.

I knew that Edward would not give up easily. He would continued to pursue me until he got what he wanted, or until he got tired of me. And I was prepared to fight him. If it would save myself from the trouble of being pressured by the reputation of the Cullen family.

I braced myself. I was walking into a nightmare.

* * *

**AN: What did you think? Reviews?**


	16. Chapter 16: Bodyguards

**Author's Note: Let's see what Edward is planning, shall we?**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.**

* * *

**Chapter 16**

**Edward's Point of View**

I felt horrible after my fight with Bella. It wasn't right. She belonged to me. Without her, I was nothing.

"Cheer up, dude," Austin said as he followed me into the parking lot after school. "I'm sure Bella will come around. She was just shocked."

I got distracted when I saw Bella walking out of a building and heading towards her car. She looked exhausted, not only physically, but mentally as well. This was also my fault.

"I can't wait for her to come around," I murmured. "I need her right now."

"And you need her before June rolls around," Austin said thoughtfully. He patted me on the back. "Better get her fast."

He put up a hand in farewell before going off to his own car, leaving me to lean on the hood of my own and watch as Bella got into her Toyota and drove away.

* * *

I slammed my palms down on the ivory piano keys. The loud, mismatched sounds echoed throughout the house.

Sighing in frustration, I leaned over the piano and rested my head on the keys. I closed my eyes wearily. Nothing was going right today. Even the keys, which were usually so obedient under my fingers, weren't cooperating.

"Edward?" Esme's concerned voice asked. "What's wrong?"

My eyes opened, but I made no move to straighten up. The coolness of the keys was helping me calm down.

"Edward?" Esme asked again as she approached the grand piano.

"Nothing," I sighed. "Nothing."

She made a face. "Now, you know I don't believe that. Did something happen at school today?" Her eyes sparkled. "Is it Bella?"

"I knew it was a mistake telling you so much about her," I grumbled. I felt like I was acting childish, but I couldn't help it. I was just so frustrated and angry…

"Well…" Esme said slowly, leaning on the piano. "You had to give your poor parents a sense of relief, didn't you? It's our fault, I admit. We pressured you into telling us. So since we're already in on it…why don't you tell me what happened?"

I blew out a sigh. "Bella is…a very stubborn girl."

Esme smiled. "From the way you've described her, I think so too. But what makes you say that?"

"Because she refuses to see reason," I mumbled. "She thinks she has to give up everything if she becomes my wife."

Her eyes widened. "Oh, Edward. I think I know. You proposed to her?"

"No," I said. "I confessed to her about my feelings, and she blew me off." I laughed bitterly. "I wasn't surprised. I knew she only loved me as a brother."

My mother looked sympathetic. "Oh…I'm sorry, dear. Was she very shocked?"

"Shocked…isn't the right word," I said thoughtfully. "She was very, _very_ surprised. I think she's just afraid…because of our family's reputation."

"Understandable," Carlisle said, who was leaning on the doorway. He'd been listening in. "We _are_ pretty famous and well-known. It's enough to drive anyone nuts." He shook his head. "I'm sorry, son."

I sat up and stared at the keys glumly. "Yeah, well…"

"You're not going to give up, are you?" Esme asked. "I mean…you don't have much time left either. And it looks like you really like her-"

"I don't like her," I said quietly. "I love her."

Carlisle and Esme exchanged surprised looks.

"Your deadline is approaching," Carlisle finally said. "I hope you've got this all planned out."

"And bring Bella over soon," Esme added with a warm smile. "I'd like to meet her. She sounds like a wonderful girl."

I watched as my parents left the room, holding hands. I felt envious of them for the millionth time. Why couldn't I have fell in love with some rich girl from another company like Carlisle had? Then everything would have been so much easier…

But I wasn't giving up. I _was_ going to bring Bella home to meet my parents and siblings, and I was going to marry her.

Very soon.

I got out my phone and called the company.

"Young Master Edward," a man greeted me promptly after one ring. "How can I help you today?"

"Send in two bodyguards first thing tomorrow morning. I'll meet them at school."

**Bella's Point of View**

Charlie choked on his mashed potatoes when I told him about Edward's confession today. "What?" he managed, looking like he'd just swallowed a bug. "Edward did what?"

"He confessed," I repeated. "He asked me out. In front of the whole school." I sighed. "Do you know how embarrassing that was?"

He stared at me, open-mouthed. He blinked rapidly, as though he was thinking things through very quickly.

Finally, he said, "He must have planned this from the very beginning, huh?"

Frowning, I looked up from my plate. "What do you mean?"

"He must have fallen for you way before he offered his friendship to you," Charlie said thoughtfully, his fork waving in the air. "He planned to get close to you first as a friend, then claim you as his girlfriend. Interesting." He ate another mouthful of potatoes.

"He doesn't just want me as his girlfriend," I grumbled, poking at my own mashed potatoes. "He was planning to make me his wife."

Charlie's eyes bulged out, and he began coughing uncontrollably. He swallowed his potatoes with difficulty and reached for his water. He held up a finger, signaling for me to wait until he was back to normal. His face was red.

When he could finally breathe, he yelped, "Wife? Like, marry?"

"Yes, Dad," I said, rolling my eyes. "Marry."

"I don't get it," Charlie said, wide-eyed. "Isn't he eighteen? How could he be thinking about marriage so early…?" He frowned. "Oh, wait. It's that deal he made his parents, right? Something about the Cullen family tradition and giving him a year to find someone suitable?"

I nodded. "Apparently…he thought _I_ was suitable." I stabbed my potatoes glumly. "So now I'm back to square one. I need to find another brother figure."

Charlie chuckled. "What's wrong with that? I like Edward."

I stared at him. "What?"

"I think it's great he confessed to you," he said, shrugging. "I've seen you two whenever he comes over. You act like you're around your brother alright, but the way Edward looks at you is always different. It's as if he's looking at someone he loves more than anyone else in the entire world. And that's saying something. He's only a teenager, after all. Actually, I've known about his true feelings for a long time; I just didn't want to tell you. I had to let the young man have his chance, didn't I? But looks like you blew it for him."

"Dad!" I exclaimed. "How can you say that? He said he was planning to marry me! Are you not listening?"

"What's wrong with that?" he asked. "If Edward wants you to become part of the Cullen family, that's considered an honor. The Cullens are big, Bella. It wouldn't be bad for you to marry into the family. You'll be helping both him and yourself. Edward would be sealing the deal he made with his parents and company, and you would be gaining a reputation as the wife of the heir of Cullen Corps., as well as money. That's pretty good, I think."

I sighed, exasperated. "No, Dad. It's not good. I don't want to marry someone I don't love for money."

He gave me a meaningful look. "Edward doesn't seem like the type to give up easily. So…good luck trying to avoid him."

I stared at him in disbelief as he finished his food with a flourish and trudged out of the room. How can parents be no help at all?

* * *

When I got to school, everyone stopped and stared at me. I felt self-conscious as I slid out of my car. I tried to avoid any eye contact as I walked slowly toward the buildings. When, suddenly, there were two pairs of black dress shoes right in front of me.

Confused, I looked up to see two handsome young men wearing identical suits and a tie. They had sunglasses on, and there was a clear coil at the back of their left ear. Looking closely, I realized that they had ear pieces on.

"Young Mistress," the first one greeted me.

"Young Mistress," the second one repeated.

I raised my eyebrow. "'Young Mistress'? Who, me?"

They bowed their heads simultaneously. This was not normal. Who would ever call _me_ 'Young Mistress'?

"Who are you?" I asked, bewildered. "Why are you dressed like that? I realize that it is still winter, but I don't think suits are fashionable here. Are you new students?"

The first one's lips twitched, as though he was amused. "No, ma'am. We are not."

I was aware of the entire school watching our exchange. They didn't seem very surprised by their presence as much as I was.

I glanced at their suits again. My eyes narrowing in suspicion, I said, "Edward's bodyguards, perhaps? Since when did he need bodyguards?"

"I don't," Edward answered instead, strolling up to us. "They're here for you."

The two young men parted respectfully to let Edward approach me. My eyes flashed in annoyance. "Why would I need bodyguards?"

Edward smiled. "I don't think you'll allow me to follow you around anymore after our big fight yesterday. But you'll need a replacement, someone that can help you through a school day without any accidents. So I called them in to guard you from now on." He looked pleased with himself.

I was not amused. "Very funny. Get rid of them."

Edward crossed his arms and went on, ignoring me, as though I hadn't spoken. "They already have specific instructions on what to do. They'll be following you around to your classes. Basically, they aren't going to leave your side unless you go to the bathroom or something."

"What is this?" I asked impatiently. "Why the sudden precautions?"

Edward's face grew serious. "I can't let my future wife get hurt, can I?"

"I told you," I said flatly. "There's no way I'm accepting you as more than a brother. That's final."

He smirked. "Go ahead and try. But you'll eventually end up with me." He paused and glanced around. "I hope you don't mind that I'll be trying to win you over, at least, until you relent. I'm not playing fair anymore. I'm using any means to get to you. So brace yourself." He winked before turning to the bodyguards. "Keep her safe, then." He strolled away toward his friends.

I stared after him, incredulous. Was he serious?

The entire school was in awe, and the girls were swooning over Edward's obviously thoughtful gesture of getting bodyguards for the girl he liked. Boys looked impressed, and even a couple teachers, who had been passing by, looked envious.

But I wasn't happy. What was he trying to do? His words scared me. Brace myself…for what? What exactly was he planning?

"Young Mistress?" the first one asked. "The bell is about to ring. We should get going to your first period classroom."

I shot him a cross look. "_Don't_ call me Young Mistress. I'm not your mistress."

"Young Master has given us specific orders," the second one said firmly. "We follow his orders."

I felt frustrated. How was I supposed to get rid of these two? "Is there any point in ordering you to leave?"

"You can order us to do anything for you," the first one replied. "Except to leave you. That is not allowed."

I could tell that they were serious. _Edward_ was serious. He was really going to stick these two with me. Better to save my breath.

I sighed. "Fine. Seeing as how I'll be stuck with you for a while, why don't you introduce yourselves?"

"My name is Sean," the first one said.

"My name is Peter," the second one said.

"Can you take off your sunglasses?"

They removed it immediately. I studied their handsome features carefully. "Huh. I think you two are too handsome to waste your time guarding someone like me. Are you sure you don't want to leave?"

Sean smiled. "We'll stay, Young Mistress."

I glared at him. "If you call me that one more time, I'll punch you in the face."

"Yes, Miss Swan," he said.

"Better," I said approvingly. I began walking toward the buildings with my new puppies trailing after me protectively.

I didn't know why I was humoring Edward by letting Sean and Peter tag along. But I was already anxious about what he might be planning, and I didn't want to make things worse.

* * *

**AN: So… Edward is flashing around his influence, eh? Wondering what he'll do next? How far he'll go to get the girl? Stay tuned…and review!**


	17. Chapter 17: Roses

**Author's Note: Short chapter here, but enjoy just the same.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.**

* * *

**Chapter 17**

The first of the roses came during fourth period.

An office TA came in while my teacher was in the middle of her lecture. He was carrying a rose that was wrapped prettily in colorful tissues and ribbons.

"Yes?" the teacher asked, confused.

"Is Isabella Swan here?" the TA asked.

Everyone turned to look at me. Sean and Peter, who were sitting in the back of the room, raised their eyebrows, then exchanged amused, knowing looks.

The TA followed everyone's gaze and placed the rose and a mini envelope in front of me. "He said to enjoy it."

I stared at him, bemused. "Huh?"

The TA shrugged before leaving the room.

"Open the card!" the teacher gushed, actually closing her book. "Let's see who it's from!"

"Isn't it obvious, Mrs. Chapman?" a jock from across the room, one of Edward's friends that I vaguely remembered, snorted. "It's probably from Cullen himself."

Right on cue, all the girls swooned as they chorused, "Aw…"

He wouldn't do this…would he?

I flipped open the card and read its contents: _I'm starting. So brace yourself. _

I couldn't doubt the handwriting. I'd seen his neat calligraphy too many times before. My expression soured.

"So?" the teacher prompted. "Is it from Edward?"

I blushed as I looked down quickly, trying to avoid the stares. "No," I mumbled unconvincingly.

"Aw…" everyone chorused again, looking dreamy.

I was getting annoyed. What had he been thinking, sending something like this in the middle of class? I knew he was a senior, and he was almost done with school, but that didn't mean he could do whatever he wanted to.

"You know," the teacher said thoughtfully. "I've had Edward as my student last year. And he's a very persistent, stubborn young man. Once he decides to do something, he doesn't give up. He always gets what he wants, whether it's with money or with his own abilities."

She focused her eyes on me. Her hazel eyes were twinkling mischievously. "And it looks like he's got his eyes set on you, Bella. If that really is the case…if the rumors are true, and he really wants you to be his… Well, let's just say that it's be better to surrender. Giving in would be the easy thing to do."

I frowned indignantly. "I'm stubborn too, Mrs. Chapman."

Mrs. Chapman chuckled. "Of course you are. That's why everyone at this school, including faculty, is curious to see who will relent in the end. Some teachers were placing in bets earlier."

I was horrified. Teachers were supposed to be supportive. They were supposed to be on Team Switzerland. How could they?

"Who are they siding with, Mrs. C?" the jock asked.

"Most people bet on Edward," Mrs. Chapman said. "We've all known him for years now, and we know that he's not the type to give up easily." She winked. "If you ask me where I think you'll be two years from now, I would say that Isabella Swan would be sitting on the queen's throne."

Everyone laughed at her analogy.

"Queen's throne," I repeated quietly.

I glanced down at the rose and saw something sparkling. There was something inside the big flower.

Curious, I picked up the flower to have a closer look. Something that was definitely not part of the flower was glistening inside.

Shocked, I pulled out a sparkling silver necklace with a small pendant on it. Upon looking at it closely, I realized that there was a coat of arms engraved on it, with a lion and a hand over its head. I held it up to the light, incredulous.

The teacher gasped. "Oh, my! What is that?"

Everyone seemed to marvel at the necklace's beauty. They looked even more shocked than I was.

"He gave you a freaking necklace?" a cheerleader I didn't know shrieked. "You're so lucky!"

"Not only that," another jock who was sitting next to me said. He leaned over to study the markings on the charm. "This isn't just some random necklace. It's a Cullen family heirloom. It has the Cullen family coat of arms on it. Edward must care for you a lot to give you that, Bella."

That made me feel worse.

* * *

"Why don't you wear the necklace, Young Mistress?" Sean suggested as we waited in the lunch line. "Young Master gave you that for a reason."

I shot him a dark look. "I told you not to call me that. And keep your voice down. I don't want anyone else to know about it."

"They already know," Peter said. "The news has spread throughout the entire school. So why don't you wear it?"

I sighed, exasperated. "This isn't a joke. You want me to wear it? You might as well be asking me to just marry him today."

"That wouldn't be so bad," Sean mumbled. "After all, the only reason he's doing this is to get to you."

It wasn't fair. Why did I have to be the one to get stuck with Edward Cullen? Why couldn't he have been a normal boy? Why did I have to get close with the one guy who was rich _and_ handsome? Just my luck…

"Is he really that desperate?" I wondered vaguely as we walked back to my usual lunch place after purchasing my meal. "There are tons of prettier girls out there…"

"I can tell you that he's not worrying about his deadline right now," Sean said wisely. "The only thing he's worried about right now is losing you, Young Mistress."

I plopped down on an empty seat, not even bothering to feel awkward as my friends stared at the two tall young bodyguards right behind me. "What am I going to do, Angela?"

Angela shrugged, though she hid a smile behind her burger. "Wear the necklace."

* * *

I stood in front of the mirror in my closet, staring at my reflection. Then, slowly, I raised the necklace and caught the clasp around my throat.

The heirloom glistened beautifully there, nestled comfortably on my chest. I had to admit, I liked how it looked on me.

Downstairs, the front door opened, and Charlie called, "Bella? I'm home."

Forgetting momentarily about the jewelry, I rushed downstairs to take the potatoes out of the oven. "Hi, Dad. Dinner's ready."

"Great, I'm starved," he said, washing his hands in the kitchen sink. "Smells good, Bells."

"Thanks."

We ate in silence for a while. Then, suddenly, he said, "So. Is that the necklace I was hearing about this afternoon?"

My hand jumped to my throat. "What?"

He grinned at me slyly. "The news is all over town, Bells. Edward gave you a Cullen family heirloom, eh? That explains a lot. Maybe you're changing your mind too? Why else would you have put it on?"

"I was just…trying it out," I finished meekly, hiding the necklace under my shirt. "That doesn't mean anything."

"He got you bodyguards?"

I choked on my food and reached for the water glass. When I could finally speak, I gasped out, "How do people know this?"

"Well…" Charlie trailed off thoughtfully. "Teenagers are ninety percent of South View High. And they talk a lot."

I said nothing else. But he could assess my mood by the way I stabbed my potatoes with my fork.

One rose turned to two. Then three. Four.

And I didn't see Edward at all.

It wasn't fair. He wasn't appearing in my sight so I wouldn't return anything to him. _So_ not fair. And sneaky.

I shoved the roses in Sean and Peter's face. "Return these to him."

It was something I always said. They always refused, but at least I could express how I felt about these things. I bet the office TA was getting tired of delivering the roses every day as well.

"I'm sorry, ma'am," Sean said for the millionth time. "We're not-"

"-allowed to do that," I finished. "Yeah, yeah. But if you don't want me to ditch you guys every second of the day, you're going to do it."

Peter smiled. "I notice that you don't ask us to return that necklace, Young Mistress."

I had to restrain myself from jumping my hand to my throat. I didn't even know why I was still wearing it. I'd kept forgetting to take it off.

"It looks good on you," Sean added. "If you don't mind my opinion."

"For the last time," I grumbled as I twirled the roses around. "Will you _please _drop the formality?"

"I'm sorry, Young Mistress," Peter said. "We're not-"

"-allowed to do that," Sean said simultaneously.

I gave out a shriek of frustration and stomped toward my locker as my two bodyguards laughed and followed me.

* * *

**AN: How cute. Review!**


	18. Chapter 18: Favor

**Author's Note: I think this is the longest chapter I've ever written for this story. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.**

* * *

**Chapter 18**

It wasn't funny anymore.

_Not_ funny.

This guy was annoying the hell out of me. I loved him like crazy, but that didn't mean I saw him the same way I saw him. He was my _brother_, for heaven's sake. Why couldn't he understand that?

By the second week of February, I was so fed up by the roses that were beginning to overflow in my bedroom and the constant mini letters that came with it, with a bunch of _I-love-you_'s in his beautiful calligraphy. I was so fed up that I pushed Sean into a salad bar and Peter into the girl's bathroom before intentionally marching up to this rich boy.

He looked happy and relaxed as he cracked up on a joke Mike Newton had just told about the cheerleaders. But I felt the first spark of satisfaction all week when I saw the shocked expression on his face.

"Wha-" Mike yelped when I pushed him into Austin Marks roughly. The other boys stared at me in amazement. I was the 'sweet' girl at this school. I didn't hurt anyone. I never cursed. But Edward Cullen was my limit.

"You, are the most annoying boy on this _planet_!" I hissed, poking his hard chest with my finger. "What makes you _think_ that I would just marry you if you did this to me?"

Edward got over his surprise relatively quickly. I didn't think it was proper of him to look so amused by my behavior.

"I'm sorry," he said politely. "What is this about?"

"This!" I grabbed my hair and waved it in his face. The smell of roses was overpowering. Almost intoxicating.

But I was so tired of having this smell around me wherever I went these days. The roses had become part of me, which was I what I sure what he'd intended to do in the first place. Step one: Make Bella crazy by placing something that reminds her of me all the time. What should that be? Ah-ha! Roses!

He looked at my hair with a small smile on his face. "You smell nicer than usual."

Sean and Peter jogged up to me. Sean was picking pieces of lettuce from his suit. But I didn't feel guilty at all.

"You have to stop doing this!" I said. "It's getting annoying. My room is overflowing with roses. I can't get the smell of roses out of my head. Everywhere I go, I smell roses. You're driving me insane!"

His friends started cracking up. There were a couple of boys who were in my classes, and they'd all witnessed my expression when I got those roses delivered to me.

Edward just kept staring at me with that crooked smile of his. The smile that drove me _more_ insane. And he knew this.

"Are you giving up?" he asked hopefully.

I scoffed. "_No_. I'm just here to tell you that there is no possibility that I'm caving. Just give up! You're my brother, a friend, and that's all you'll ever be!"

"Ooh, ouch," Austin mumbled, wincing.

His smile faded. "Bella…"

"I don't even know why I was wearing this the entire time," I continued, bringing out the necklace from my hoodie. I unclasped it and shoved it in his hand forcibly. "But I've had enough of this. It isn't funny anymore. It certainly isn't _romantic_, like everyone is telling me. This isn't my thing. I'm not looking for a boyfriend. I'm _not_ looking for a husband at seventeen. I was looking for a brother figure. I found that guy. _You_ were that guy."

I turned to leave. "But I guess that guy left me. Drop it, Edward. You've done enough. Find someone else."

I stomped away and had walked maybe five feet before I turned around and glared at Sean and Peter. "No. Way. You're staying with him. I'm done with you two."

They looked taken aback. They didn't follow me, and neither did Edward.

I was thinking that I'd finally gotten rid of my three stalkers for good before one of the jocks came in during fourth period and set down my favorite pastry on my desk.

"He said to tell you, enjoy," he said, grinning widely before sauntering over to his seat.

I looked at the pastry in disbelief. Who was this stubborn young man that I thought I'd known?

* * *

"Bella!" Angela came hurrying up to me after school with her textbook in her arms and her eyes wide. "I heard you dumped Edward! Is that true?"

"We weren't even dating in the first place," I said flatly. "But yes, I practically slapped him in the face with words."

"And you told him that you won't ever love him back?"

"How'd you know- Oh." I made a face. "Ben." I leaned on my locker, looked down at the uneaten pastry, and shoved it toward her. "Take it."

Angela looked down at the pastry in her hands in bewilderment. "Wait…so he's moving on to pastries now? Why? I liked the roses. And you smell nice." She smiled.

"I'm starting to get a headache whenever I see or smell roses, so I told him not to give me that anymore. Apparently…he's not giving up."

She nodded thoughtfully. "And he's moving on to your favorite pastries." She started laughing.

"Stop it," I said, annoyed. "It isn't funny. It's so not funny."

"Why don't you buy him one of those Valentine grams?" Angela suggested, still chuckling as she trailed me out of the building. "Valentine's Day is on Friday, and everyone is getting whatever their friends or boyfriends got them on that day."

"You're kidding, right?"

"No."

I threw her an indignant look. "I want him to give up on me, not encourage him. Besides…" I nodded at the Valentine gram stands that the ASB students were selling at the moment in the quad. "The flower that's part of the package is a rose. No way am I getting near another rose. The first thing I'm going to do when I get home is throw out all those dried up roses that's making my room stink."

"Your room smells lovely, and so do you. It's kind of nice. You know, no air fresheners or leaving the window wide open when it's still winter in New York." She rolled her eyes. "And don't you think you're being a bit…cruel?"

I frowned. "Yes, I know I'm being cruel. I don't want to be, but the guy just doesn't give up! Would _you_ marry an eighteen-year old teenager when you're seventeen?"

Angela grinned. "Normally, of course I wouldn't. But Edward is no normal guy, Bella." She gave me a meaningful look. "He's handsome and tall and muscular and sexy and-"

"I know how he looks like," I interrupted her flatly. "Too well."

"-and he's rich," she went on, as though I hadn't spoken. "He has a situation that most boys don't have, which is that deal he made with the company and his parents."

"The deal is stupid." I headed for my car once we were in the parking lot.

"I know it's stupid," Angela said, following me. "But he's also in love with you. It isn't because of this stupid deal that he's courting you. He actually loves you. He wants to be with you. Why is that such a big deal?"

"Because I don't want a boyfriend! Is it so wrong to want a normal guy who acts like a brother to me?"

"Please, Bella," Angela groaned. "Spare me the brother talk. I _know_."

"What if I don't want to be a brother?" a familiar, smooth voice asked.

I froze in my tracks, and so did Angela. She turned around first, slowly, and she gulped. "Uh…hi, Edward."

"Hello, Angela," Edward greeted her politely. I could feel his eyes on me. "Talking about me?" His tone was light and playful, but there was an edge to it. I could hear it. He was upset with me.

Angela heard it too. "Heh," she said, wincing. "I was…trying to…reason with Bella here…uh…that…she was being…idiotic…and…" She glanced at me, having no idea what to say. "And…goodbye." She wheeled around and ran off, leaving me alone. Traitor.

Slowly, I turned around. "If you're here to tell me that you're not giving up, I don't want to hear it."

"I have a favor, actually," Edward said. "Will you do it for me?"

"Does it involve breaking our ties? Because then you know I will do it."

His eyes flashed. "You're being ridiculous."

I sighed and closed my eyes. "Do you smell these roses on me, Edward?" I reopened my eyes.

He smiled at that one. "I'm not sorry about that. You smell nicer. It's one more floral smell added to your scent."

"The favor?" I prompted flatly.

His expression went blank. Nothing special. Poker face. "My parents want to see you."

I thought I heard wrong. "_What?_"

"You heard me right the first time," Edward said.

I tried to remain calm. Was he being serious? We weren't even dating, I was pushing him away, and I was sure his parents knew about this. Every citizen in New York City knew about this. Why would they want to meet me? So they could tell me off for rejecting their son?

"That's a ridiculous favor, and you know it," I finally said.

He just looked at me. "They want to see you, Bella."

"No," I told him incredulously. "You're not serious about this? No. A hundred times no."

Edward sighed. "They just want to meet you once. What's so hard about that? Just once, Bella. Please. They've been pestering me about you since I first told them your name."

"You shouldn't have told them anything," I snapped.

"A few hours, Bella," he pleaded. "Please."

I glared at him. "No!"

Everyone in the parking lot was watching our loud conversation. When had it become so loud?

Edward looked frustrated, like he was wondering how to get me to get into his silver car. "Can't you close your eyes and act like you love me back for a few hours?"

"That's lying. I don't want to lie to your parents. No."

"Okay, ignore what I just said. They already know how you feel about me. Can't you just-"

"Edward, no!"

He gave an angry sigh. "Would you be very angry at me if I dragged you home?"

"Obviously."

He raised his hand and gestured for Sean and Peter to come forward. I glared at the three of them, wondering what he was about to do now.

Edward looked at me, then snatched my car keys out of hand.

"Edward!"

He tossed it at Sean. "Take her car home, and then you're done for the day. Come back tomorrow."

Sean nodded before the pair of them bowed and walked away to my car.

"Are you willing to risk me not talking to you?" I asked furiously. "Ignoring you? _Hating _you?"

"Yes, I'm willing to risk it," Edward answered.

"Go on, Bella," Austin called from the jock group across the lot. "Go have fun with Carlisle and Esme! They're really cool!"

Edward threw him a look. Austin shut up.

"Act like you came willingly, okay?" he asked, walking behind me and clasping the necklace back around my throat. "Although I'm sure they'll probably catch on to the truth eventually."

I was so shocked at his persistence that I didn't even realize that he was guiding me to his car. We were already far away from campus when I reached up to touch the Cullen family crest that was engraved on the necklace.

* * *

The mansion wasn't a mansion. It was a castle. It was so big that I couldn't take every detail all at once.

There were picture frames of Edward's dead ancestors everywhere, looking sophisticated in their old suits and dresses that were really quite neat. I forgot my annoyance with him as I looked around in fascination.

This was also a form of cheating. He knew I loved history. And his house was filled with historical artifacts, antiques, and pictures.

The mansion was quiet. Our footsteps echoed throughout the hall as I followed him to the double doors across the grand staircase. He paused.

"I'm sorry for doing this to you," he said softly, reaching up to brush away my hair. "But I want you to understand my perspective as well."

I turned my head away coldly when he tried to caress my cheek.

He looked hurt for the first time. "You're making this hard for me. You have no idea how much I want you, Bella."

There was a moment of silence before I sighed wearily. "Let's get this over with."

He stared at me before looking away. He hid his face by opening the double doors and revealing a huge ballroom that was the size of our huge gymnasium at school. Gymnasium plus a third of the size of our football field.

I tried to read at his face, but it had gone smooth again before I could decipher his expression. He led me inside.

There was more history things in here. More picture frames on the elegant, decorated walls…more small tables with old vases and jewelry boxes. The room was fragrant, as though it had been sprayed with perfume and orange blossoms. Surprisingly, it didn't give me a migraine.

The tiles on the ground were sparkling white. I was afraid to dirty them with my shoes. Everything around this place looked fragile.

"It isn't safe to wait outside," Edward told me softly, humor in his eyes at an inside joke. "We have a monster around the house right now, and I don't know where he is. If you met him, he might talk you into some sort of trouble."

I looked at him, bewildered. Monster?

He shook his head. "I'll explain later. You'll see what I mean. Wait here. You'll be safe. I'll go tell my parents that you're here." He stared at me longingly for a moment before slipping back out the double doors and taking care to close them.

I began to entertain myself by walking around the huge room in a circle. I studied the paintings of an ancestor, a picture of one, a picture of a huge family back in the seventies…

I was startled when one of the doors opened. I turned around, expecting to see Edward. A different colored pair of eyes was staring at me uncomprehendingly.

It was a petite girl. She looked older than I was – even though I towered over her by at least five inches – maybe around twenty. She had spiky black hair and was wearing an NYU hoodie and skinny jeans. She was wearing black satin flats.

Even though her clothes were casual, everything about her screamed: _Rich girl alert!_ She made plain clothes look fashionable. Who was she? A family member he never told me about?

The girl looked at me blankly, like she couldn't figure who I was and what I was doing in this room.

After a moment of startled silence, she walked toward me gracefully. A ballerina, maybe?

"Who are you?" the girl asked. Her voice was high pitched, but musical, like Edward's. Family?

I couldn't think of anything to say. He had told me that I would be safe here. Was she the monster?

"What are you doing here?" the girl asked blankly.

I found my voice. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize I wasn't supposed to be here…"

The girl's eyes widened. "Oh, no, don't take my question in an offensive way. I was really curious. Guests don't usually enter this room unless led here by a family member…" She looked over me curiously.

"Edward brought me here," I said. It sounded like a question.

Her eyes brightened in recognition. "Edward? I don't…understand…" She shook her head. "He didn't say anything about a guest…"

At that moment, the door reopened, and Edward reentered. He looked startled to see the girl with me. "I thought it was just the monster who was taking the week off from school. You too?"

The petite girl crossed her arms. "You don't sound happy to see me. I nearly got a ticket, speeding over here. Fortunately, I talked the police officer into letting me go."

"Who told you to speed?" Edward asked teasingly. I was surprised to see him relaxed. He joined us.

"So…?" The girl trailed off suggestively. She made a _go-on_ gesture with her hands and gave him a meaningful look, like: _You going to introduce me?_

Edward scowled for a moment and laid a hand on my shoulder protectively, as though he fully expected the girl to jump at me at any moment.

The girl raised her eyebrow. "You going to tell me what's going on? I find this pretty girl in our history hall-slash-ballroom, and what? I'm not allowed any answers?"

Edward sighed. "Alice, this is Bella. Bella, my sister Alice."

Another startled moment. "Nice to meet you, Ali-"

I shrieked when something small and black came flying toward me. I just stood there, shocked, as Alice hugged me tightly, squealing excitedly.

After what seemed like ages, she finally pulled away, her eyes shining brightly. "Oh my gosh. _Finally_. I can't believe he finally brought you home. So is it final, then? I have a new sister? Really? When's the date? Can I plan your wedding?"

I stared at her, speechless. She talked so quickly that I had no idea what she's just said. Edward, however, having lived with his sister for years in the same house, knew exactly what she'd just said.

"_No_," Edward emphasized. "Nothing is final. I did bring her home, but only because Mom and Dad were pestering me to let them meet her. And no, you can't."

Alice looked at him, devastated. "Can't what?"

"You can't plan my wedding. Too extravagant, I just know it."

She stomped her feet, looking genuinely upset. "Edward Anthony Masen Cullen! You're going to take away the fun for your only sister?"

"Don't you mean Monster Number Two?" he shot back.

I forgot my previous annoyance. I found this conversation truly amusing. The way they interacted with each other…they weren't a bunch of snobby, rich kids. They were true siblings. Normal siblings.

I started laughing. Edward looked at me, blinking. He hadn't expected me to smile during my stay here.

"Who's Monster Number One?" I asked teasingly.

Alice grabbed my hand and began pulling me outside into the hallway again. Edward sighed exasperatedly and followed. "I'll show you Monster Number One. I think I saw him in the kitchen, with Mom and Dad, eating all the brownies Mom made for you. No _wonder_ she kept slapping his hand and protesting that it was for a guest!"

I glanced back at Edward for reassurance. He just smiled and nodded, looking completely relaxed and content. I relaxed too.

We burst into the huge gourmet kitchen, where a maid in her frilly uniform was just placing in a huge roast beef into the oven. She was alone.

Alice looked disappointed. "Where's Mom and Dad? And Em?"

The maid smiled. "Mistress became annoyed because Young Master was eating all the brownies. She kicked him out, and I believe they went into the library to wait for a guest." She looked at me pointedly.

"I was about to take you to the library when Alice interrupted," Edward said, looking at his sister.

Alice stuck out her tongue. "Whatever." And she dragged me away again.

Finally, we were up on the second floor, standing in front of a grand pair of French doors. Just as she was about to burst inside, Edward grabbed her arm that was holding my hand.

"What?"

"Go inside first."

Alice pouted. "You're going to give her a pep talk or something? Come on, Edward, you know Carlisle and Esme are chill parents. They're dying to meet her, and so is Emmett."

"It's okay," I said softly, when Edward opened his mouth to reply.

Edward gave me an inquiring look.

I gave him a small smile. I liked Alice. She was loud, talkative, and optimistic, but I liked it. She was so different from me, but she was nice. And if all his family members were like this, I didn't mind meeting his parents either. I was still scared and afraid that his family might get the wrong idea, but it didn't seem so bad anymore.

"Lead the way," I told Alice, smiling.

Edward looked relieved when he saw my smile. He looked reassured that I wasn't angry with him anymore.

Happily, Alice led the way into the library, which was as big as the ballroom below. There were tons of bookshelves filled with various books, and the aisles looked so complicated, like a labyrinth, that one could easily get lost in them.

Still, Alice navigated through the library as easily as though she was tying her shoelaces. Soon, we came to a large round area in the center of the library, where plush sofas and beanbags littered the carpeted floor, and desks and small coffee tables lay. There were three people sitting on the sofas, drinking coffee and eating small cakes.

They looked up when we arrived. The woman, whom I assumed to be Edward's mother, perked up when she saw me. She rose from her seat and approached me.

"Hello, Bella," she said pleasantly, taking my hand and squeezing it lightly. "It's so nice to finally meet you. I'm Esme."

"Hello," I said shyly. She was so beautiful, and so young to be a mother of an eighteen-year old and older. I remembered Edward's story about his family's tradition. I wondered at what age she'd gotten married.

The blonde man got up to greet me as well. "It certainly is very nice to meet you, Bella. We've heard so much about you." He shook my hand. "I'm Carlisle."

I smiled. I didn't even have to make an effort to be polite. Something about their presence soothed me instantly, and they were a comforting presence, like Edward was to me.

My eyes fell on a young man with curly dark hair, who was still seated on a sofa, munching on the small dainty cakes. Alice skipped to his side and plopped down next to him. She helped herself to a cake.

The young man finished his cake, then grinned as he waved at me cheerily. "'Sup, Bella? I'm Emmett."

His name sounded familiar. I glanced at Edward, who was smiling affectionately as he stared at the young man. I glanced back at Emmett.

"You didn't even tell her how cool I was?" Emmett asked Edward. He snorted. "I bet you've been going on about yourself, you narcissist."

Alice slapped him lightly. "Be nice."

"Anyway, I'm Edward's older brother," Emmett said. "The cute one." He winked.

"As if," Edward muttered under his breath.

But I laughed. "Nice to meet you, Emmett."

Emmett studied me carefully as Esme insisted that I sit next to her. He really did look nothing alike Edward and Alice. He was the adopted one. Still, that didn't stop him from being part of this family. I loved how he was so comfortable with this life. He was one of them.

"You," Esme said, stopping Edward from sitting down next to me. "You sit down next to your father. You see her every day. We don't."

Edward smiled amusedly and obliged.

I felt comfortable as Esme smiled and sat next to me happily. She looked at me in fascination, as though Edward had never brought a girl home before.

It felt strange after a while, in the silence, with everybody staring at me like I was some precious treasure.

"Oh, our apologies," Esme said quickly. "You must forgive us if we stare at you a bit… Edward has never brought a girl home before."

I blinked. I looked at Edward slowly, who smiled at me, looking slightly embarrassed.

"Hard to believe, isn't it?" Alice chirped. "Well, it's true. Despite our brother being the handsome, sexy, popular guy at school, he never took relationships seriously."

Emmett was still staring at me. "If you don't mind my saying, Bella, you really are very beautiful."

Edward raised an eyebrow while I blushed at his brother's compliment. "Um…thank you?"

Carlisle, too, had been staring at me thoughtfully. He glanced at Edward, who hadn't taken his eyes off of me once, then looked back at me again. Then back and forth.

"Why don't you tell us something about yourself, Bella?" Esme suggested. "After all, even Edward doesn't tell us everything about you."

"He refused to tell us," Alice pouted. "'Haven't you ever heard of privacy?'" she imitated her brother. "Psh. We were just curious."

I smiled. "What would you like to know?"

"You're seventeen?" Emmett asked.

"Yes."

"Your parents," Esme said. "I heard they're…divorced?" She smiled apologetically.

I nodded. "My mother lives in Florida with my stepfather. I live with my father, Charlie." I looked at Carlisle. "I believe you met with him before at some meeting with the mayor."

Carlisle looked surprised. "Charlie Swan is your father? The Chief of Police here in New York City?"

"Yes, sir."

He waved his hand. "No need for formalities, Bella. Just Carlisle."

"Oh, how wonderful," Esme gushed. "I've met your father before as well. He was a charming man. I see you take after his beautiful brown eyes."

Edward glanced at his father anxiously. He studied his father for a minute, then seemed to relax when he saw something in his expression.

Alice looked at her younger brother happily, then exchanged relieved glances with her elder brother. The pair of them started laughing in harmony.

"Am I missing something?" I asked, smiling confusedly.

"Nothing, nothing," Alice said quickly.

"Bella," Carlisle said, leaning forward. "You'll have to forgive me for bringing the subject up. But has Edward told you about the deal he's made the company?"

* * *

**AN: Cliffie! I'm sorry, I just couldn't help myself. And I felt like the chapter was getting too long. Leave me lots of reviews!**


	19. Chapter 19: Selfish

**Author's Note: A bit of a short chapter, but go ahead and enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.**

* * *

**Chapter 19**

My smile faded, and Edward looked alert. "The deal…"

"So he has mentioned it," Carlisle said. "That's good. We're on the same page then."

"Dad," Edward warned. He was ignored.

"Edward currently has less than six months to find a wife," Carlisle continued. "He told us that he'd given up on finding a suitable girl, but when you were mentioned, I thought that you would be perfect for him. And now, meeting you, I feel more strongly about this."

"Carlisle," Emmett said. "Don't you think you're moving a bit too fast? They aren't even dating yet."

I felt uncomfortable. I couldn't meet anyone's eyes. It was the marriage talk again.

"They can always date after they're engaged," Esme chimed in. "Edward is already late in following the tradition anyway. He's eighteen, way past the age he should've married. What's wrong with a few more months? They can get engaged, date, then get married. The company can't complain because he kept his part of the deal. They'll tolerate a few months of waiting for the marriage."

Carlisle studied me. "I'm sure you're not comfortable with this idea. And we understand. I also understand that we're being selfish here, thinking only of our son's interests at heart. I'm sure you have a different opinion in mind about this situation."

Edward looked angry. He was glaring at his parents as though he was regretting that he brought me home now.

I finally cleared my throat. "I'm sure you're all aware that I'm really not interested in Edward. At least, not in the way he's interested in me."

They waited for me to go on. No one looked angry, at least.

"I understand Edward's perspective," I continued. "I understand that he needs to marry before he ages another year. But I just wish that this wasn't me. It's flattering that you're all thinking of me as the final candidate to become his wife, but it's…not me."

Alice looked disappointed. "I know it must be very strange for you, Bella, but won't you reconsider? I know you're too young to get married – being married at seventeen is unthinkable, even to me – but if you would change your mind…"

"What are you worried about?" Esme asked. "Is it just the fact that you're too young to get married?"

This was a subject I really wanted to drop. There never was a conversation that I wanted to get out of more than this.

"Well, no…" I said hesitantly. "The age doesn't really matter to me. I guess it's just an excuse."

"Explain," Esme prompted.

"Married at seventeen, married at thirty, what's the difference, really?" I said. "I'm getting married anyways. It's just the…pressure, I guess. The Cullen Corporations is one of the biggest companies in the world, and being part of the family means a lot of responsibilities and work. I have a whole life ahead of me, even if I don't know what I want to be. If I join your family, I'll have to throw all those opportunities away to play my part as Edward's wife."

Carlisle nodded slowly. "I see your point. But you're wrong on that, Bella. While there may be lots of extra work to do as the wife of the heir, you won't have to give up opportunities to do what you want to do."

"You can go to college," Esme added. "You can do anything you want to do. If you want to study to become a doctor or a lawyer, that's fine." She smiled. "The company is a lot of things and demands attention, but it's not so cruel that it would take away your freedom."

Their words reassured me, oddly. Why was I feeling this way? I should be feeling more pressured and start protesting that I was the wrong person to consider. I should be acting like a brat and throw a tantrum, saying that I didn't want to be his wife.

I looked at Edward, trying to figure out why the idea didn't disgust me so much anymore. He stared back.

If I was honest with myself, I missed Edward. I missed his tight hugs and talking with him. I missed seeing his handsome face every day and his intoxicating scent that would swirl around me. I missed his crooked smile and playful _I-love-you_'s.

I wasn't ready to lose the boy that was like a brother to me. I needed him like air to breathe. I realized that he'd become a part of me, such an important part that I couldn't give him up.

And if I couldn't stay by his side like a normal girl could, I would do anything else to do it. Even marry him.

I felt selfish. I didn't even love him in the way he loved me, and I was considering on marrying him just to keep my brother. This was wrong, but I didn't see any other choice.

"What do you think?" Carlisle prompted. "Will you help us out here?"

I couldn't say yes right now. I felt tempted to answer yes and get it over with, but I needed to consider more options.

"If it helps you to decide," Alice added, smiling understandingly, "you also get fame and a reputation. Money. You can do whatever you want. It's a win-win for everyone. Edward fulfills his part of the deal, and you get fame and money. You also get to be the next wife of the president of the company, and the mother of the next heir."

I smiled at that. "You can't tempt me with that. I have no desire for your money or family reputation."

Alice shrugged. "It was worth a try." She rolled her eyes exasperatedly when Edward shot her a _shut-up_ look.

I sighed. "I need time…to think about it. Can you give me that?"

"Of course, dear," Esme said maternally.

"Think about it, but don't take too long," Carlisle advised. He smiled warmly. "We would love to have you in our family as our daughter-in-law. Consider it carefully, Bella."

* * *

"I'm sorry," Edward murmured as he drove me home. "If I'd known that they would mention that, I wouldn't have brought you home."

I sighed. "It's okay." I gazed at the scenery outside. "I like your family. They're very…pleasant."

He smiled at that. "They are. I'm glad you liked them." He grew serious. "If you refuse to be part of the deal, I'll understand. And I promise you, my family won't blame you one bit either."

"I know."

He looked troubled. "I really am sorry."

"This is very hard for me, you know," I said. "You're asking a lot here."

"Can you blame me for being selfish?" Edward asked. "I'm very lucky that I fell in love with you, and not with some other selfish girl. I'm lucky that I met you while this deal was going on, or I would've already been married."

I felt guilty at his words. I was a selfish girl. I'd only agreed to consider this so I didn't have to lose him. "I'm selfish, Edward."

He smiled. "Do you think I don't know that? You only agreed to consider it because you didn't want to lose me."

So he knew. "And you still want me?"

He sighed. "I'm aware of your feelings for me. It's strictly a sisterly love, and that frustrates me. After everything I've done to turn that around, you're still stubborn. But that doesn't change what _I_ want."

"I'm sorry," I whispered.

He reached over and took my hand. His thumb circled on the back of my hand reassuringly. "I'll live."

* * *

"That's great!" Charlie said, grinning. "Marry him!"

"It's not that simple, Dad," I groaned, burying my face in my hands. "I don't love him. Not in that way."

"You'll learn to love him," Charlie said. "Meanwhile, you'll be helping him out by sealing the deal, and you'll be helping yourself out by gaining fame, a reputation, and money."

"I don't want any of those." I sighed. "Why couldn't I have had a normal life with some normal guy? Why the heir of Cullen Corporations?"

"Consider yourself lucky," he advised. "Well, seventeen is way too young to get married. But I say you marry him. I promise, you won't regret it. And speaking of being too young to get married, I suggest you call Renee." He handed me the kitchen phone. "She'll be a bit hard to convince, won't she?"

It turned out, I didn't need to convince Renee at all. Apparently, there had been a news report that told everyone in the entire world that the Cullens were considering Isabella Marie Swan to be the next mistress of the family.

"You have my total and wholehearted permission to go ahead and get married," Renee said, ecstatic. "Does that mean that my in-laws are super rich and famous? Oh, this is fabulous. What luck! Aren't you glad you moved to New York after all, honey?"

And then, soon after I'd hung up, the phone rang again, with my friends from Forks calling me. They, too, were excited that their friend was becoming married with 'a hot, sexy guy who's super rich and famous'.

I was getting exasperated with my life. Was it such a crime that I found a boy who was like my brother? Was it that bad that I wanted to keep him in my life? Was this punishment for being selfish?

Was this karma?

* * *

**AN: What'd you think? Leave me lots of reviews!**


	20. Chapter 20: Scouted

**Author's Note: This chapter is a bit fast-forwarding. I hope it won't be too confusing. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.**

* * *

**Chapter 20**

"Bella!" Jessica hollered as she fought her way through the crowd to catch up to me. "Bella, wait up!"

I knew exactly what she wanted to hear from me. I quickened my pace, pretending not to hear her. Of course, it didn't help.

"Bella!" Jess said, sounding annoyed when she finally caught up to me. "Didn't you hear me?"

I glanced at her before my expression soured. I looked away and focused hard on my locker, straight ahead of me. "No."

"Are the rumors true?" she asked as I began twirling my lock upon arrival. "You agreed to marry him?"

I opened the locker, then paused. Agree…to marry him. "It's just a rumor."

"What's there to hesitate about?" Jessica nearly shrieked in agitation. "If I were you, I would've said yes a long time ago!"

My mouth twisted as I merely replaced my books and binders with the things I needed for my next two classes.

Suddenly, she was nudging me hard in the ribs. "Bella. Bella. Oh, my gosh. Pinch me."

"Quit it," I told her. "It hurts."

She leaned in, her eyes still on something at the end of the hallway. "Fiancé alert!" she sang.

I bit my tongue from retorting. He was _not_ my fiancé. I still couldn't decide. Was I brave enough to take that big step and change my entire life?

"Hello, Jessica," I heard Edward's polite voice behind me. I refused to turn around to greet him. I was afraid of what expression my face held at the moment. I wasn't confident enough. Just the thought of marrying someone who was like a brother to me sent shivers down my spine.

"Hi, Edward," Jess murmured, almost shyly.

"Bella?" he asked softly.

I paused before taking a deep breath and closing my locker. I turned around to face him. "Edward."

"I guess I'll see you guys later," Jessica mumbled before walking away, looking disappointed.

Edward looked wary, wondering what was going through my mind. "Anything wrong?"

I studied his handsome face before smiling slightly and plopping my textbook in his arms. "Carry this for me."

At that, he smiled, and as we walked through the hall, it was almost like everything was back to normal. Despite the fact that everyone was staring at us, of course, wondering if the rumors really were true.

* * *

I no longer felt the stab of annoyance as Sean and Peter resumed their job in trailing me. It was as though I had gotten used to their presence rapidly, almost as if I was resigned to my fate. Bodyguards and stares…

I was sure that Edward knew of my continuous hesitance. Because on Valentine's Day, he went further than he had ever gone.

Students were wondering when my usual roses would arrive. And then, there was that familiar knock, and everyone straightened up, including the teacher.

But this time, instead of the tall figure of the office TA, a group of boys and girls filed inside. One of them was carrying a basket of beautiful red and pink roses. He smiled at me as he set the basket on my desk before retreating to rejoin the group.

"What's this?" the teacher asked, smiling. "Looks like Edward's sent a little Valentine's gift to you today. Hiring the school's best choir to do the job, eh?"

I stared at them, my eyebrows raised. Would Edward really go this far?

The obvious leader, a tall girl, raised a pitch pipe to her lips and blew a note. And then, suddenly, the room was filled with harmonic music as they sang a love song.

Incredulous, I gawked, wide-eyed, as I listened carefully to the lyrics. It was an unfamiliar song, but it was beautiful just the same. And I knew that he had written the song himself.

For the first time, I was touched. His lyrics sounded sincere and compelling, and as the choir sang for me to become his girl forever, I couldn't help but feel that I could really play a role in his life. It may not be the role that I wanted to play, but at least he would be in my life as well.

And that would be enough.

When the choir finished singing, everyone erupted into applause. I smiled at them gratefully as I clapped along. They all stopped clapping and looked at me expectantly.

"That was beautiful," I said sincerely. "Thank you."

The choir looked relieved and looked as though a hundred pounds of burden had been lifted off from them shoulders.

"Thank goodness," a girl sighed. "We were under so much pressure, trying to memorize the parts and lyrics in such a short amount of time. Edward gave it to us three days ago."

"I'm curious," the teacher said. "How did he get you to come here? You usually don't make individual visits."

"He bribed us," the leader girl said, smiling amusedly.

Sean and Peter stifled their laughter from the back of the room.

"With what? Cupcakes?" a jock called out, snickering. "You choir people are always eating cupcakes."

It was true. If we passed someone with a cupcake in their hands during snack in the quad, it was most likely a choir member.

"Nah, with money," the girl said. "The choir department was suffering a bit because the district wasn't giving us money. Edward offered a million dollars for this. So our director forced us to do this."

My eyes were round. A million dollars for _this_?

"Wow," the teacher said, looking impressed. "I guess you can do anything if you have the money to wave around." The class laughed.

"Good luck!" The choir waved as they filed back outside again.

* * *

I made Sean and Peter carry the basket to my car. It was too beautiful to return, and I'd come too far to tell him off for doing this.

With a sigh, I walked toward his group of friends, where he was waiting for me.

He greeted me with his crooked smile. "Did you like my surprise?"

"It was a bit too expensive," I said. "But I loved it. Thank you."

His smile widened. "I'm glad." He hesitated, then reached up to tuck a lock of my hair behind my ear. "I was wondering…if you'd like to go out with me after school today."

I was surprised, yet again, by his pushiness. But I thought that I might as well learn to love him the way he loved me. "Where are we going?"

"That's a yes, right?" Edward asked. He leaned in and kissed me on the cheek.

* * *

The whole school was in an uproar over a simple yes I'd given. No, strike that. The entire city of New York was freaking out.

I couldn't go out to buy milk, afraid that the reporters would mob me. I couldn't go out on a date with Edward, fearful that they would capture me on camera and have me on the news that same day. I was already feeling the pressure of choosing to stay by his side.

He was happy. He loved to hold me, kiss me, and take me out on dates. His family was happy. By agreeing to marry him, I had sealed the deal, which meant no more pressuring comments from the board of directors of the company.

Everyone was happy. Except me.

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't do it. I just didn't see him in that way. Edward Cullen could not be a man to me. I saw him as a brother that I did not want to lose, which had made me make the desperate decision to stay by his side as his wife. If I couldn't be a sister, I would be his wife.

I was disgusted with myself for making a decision like that. What would people say? People were intelligent. They weren't blind. They would know. They would think that I only married him for money and fame. They would point fingers at me secretly and accuse me of seducing a perfectly handsome young man.

I told myself that I would fall in love with him eventually. The key point was time. If enough time passed, I was sure I could fall in love with him. I was sure of it.

* * *

I knew he was disappointed. It was supposed to be a honeymoon. It _was_ a honeymoon. And yet, we had gone to Italy for nothing.

What was a honeymoon? To me, it was a trip to a place where newlyweds had sex for the first time after their marriage. And yet, we didn't even do that. I had refused. How disappointed Edward must be with me.

We'd slept on the same bed. That much was an accomplishment to me. Edward didn't push the matter, since he understood how different and unfamiliar and strange it must be for me to be married already at seventeen. And I was thankful for that.

I felt guilty. I was supposed to be a helpful wife. I had to support him very well. And yet, I was already failing at that.

"Hey, girl," Alice chirped when we arrived home after our flight. "How was Italy?" She had a knowing look in her eyes as she smiled at me brightly.

The Cullens loved me. Even though they knew that I'd married Edward without even being in love with him, they loved me. At least I wouldn't be miserable because of my in-laws.

I resisted the urge to glance at Edward, who looked troubled. "Fine. Italy was beautiful."

Emmett was next. "How was it?" He wagged his eyebrows playfully, grinning.

I looked down, unable to answer that one. How can I tell them that we didn't have sex? That was my job. To have sex with Edward and produce an heir for him. And yet, I wasn't even doing my job. How can I tell them that?

To my shock, Edward said, "It was fine. Now butt out of our sex life, Em."

I swallowed, then slipped away to go upstairs to our new bedroom. Behind me, Emmett and Alice were laughing as they teased Edward by congratulating him for becoming a man.

I closed the door behind me and collapsed on an armchair, biting my lip. Why had he saved me? Why had he lied?

Five minutes later, Edward slipped inside. He laid down our luggage by the walk-in closet, then proceeded to taking off his shirt right in front of me.

"Why did you do it?"

Edward paused, then turned to face me, his chest bare and muscular. Was he doing it on purpose to seduce me? It wasn't working. Why wasn't it working? Be impressed! Stare at him! Why couldn't I do it?

"Because I know you aren't ready," he answered. "And that's fine with me. But if my family knows, they'll begin to pressure you." He threw his shirt on the bed lightly, then headed for the bathroom.

I watched as he closed the door quietly, and listened as the shower turned on. I swallowed down the lump in my throat.

"Help me," I whispered. "Somebody."

* * *

I felt frustrated. It was summer vacation, and it had been a few months since our marriage. If a girl was married, she should feel less burdened and happier. Why wasn't I happy?

All I felt was frustration. So this is what it felt like to be part of a rich family. To be the wife of the heir. Never being able to step a foot outside of this huge, yet stuffy mansion, unless it was for school or going to parties. Never being able to go to the bookstore or the grocery to run an errand.

But slowly, I was beginning to learn. To adapt to this new lifestyle of mine. It was easier to just block everything out. My feelings, my emotions. Who cared about my stupid feelings? All they cared was that Edward was married, that he stayed married until he died, and that he produced an heir. That was all.

So if I stayed quiet and just went along with it without thinking about how I felt anymore, it was easier. I did that. I went along with it. I did things because I had to, not because I wanted to. This was my new life.

Accepting without question was the way I lived my life. I no longer asked why I had to accompany Edward to those many parties. Why I had to buy so many expensive dresses for a simple party. Why I had to be careful even with every breath I took.

I felt suffocated. But I didn't acknowledge it anymore. Why? Because it was my duty to never question, and just do it.

Perhaps my new family knew how I felt. Maybe they saw this too. Maybe they felt sympathetic and apologetic for taking away my future. What could've been. Because one summer afternoon, Alice visited me in the library.

"Hey, Bella," she said cheerfully as always. "You're always reading. Aren't you getting tired of seeing these books?" She looked around. "Ugh. I was tired of seeing these books when I was five."

I smiled slightly. "I'm good."

"I know you're probably frustrated," Alice said sympathetically. She grinned. "How about a girl date today?"

I looked up from _Pride and Prejudice_. "Girl date?"

She nodded. "Get dressed. We'll go catch a movie, then have lunch."

"No shopping?" I asked hopefully.

She laughed. "No shopping. I promise."

* * *

"That was a good movie," Alice said happily as we walked inside the fancy restaurant to have Italiano for lunch. "Did you see the male lead? He was _hot_."

"Sorry," I teased. "I didn't notice. And you shouldn't have noticed either. I personally think Jasper is an amazing guy."

Alice pursed her lips. "Of course, no one can compare to my Jazzy. And I suppose your Edward is pretty hot too." She made a face as she shuddered. "Ugh. I can't believe I just said that about my brother."

My smiled faded slightly. Luckily, she didn't notice, as the waiter had just arrived to take our order.

As Alice ordered, my eyes wandered around the restaurant. The clients were all staring at me. I felt self-conscious in my fashionable and expensive clothes. Even my hair was up in an elegant French bun to match my outfit. I probably looked older than I really was.

Most people wouldn't be able to afford a place like this. The customers here were businessmen and women, as well as celebrities or just rich, normal people who could afford the price.

"So…" Alice said. "I wanted to ask you about your college education. You're a senior now, so you'll start filling out those dreaded college applications. What did you have in mind?"

I needed a source of escape. Somehow, I had to escape this. Even if it was college. I would go to college to escape my duties for a little while, even if I didn't have any major I wanted to study in.

I opened my mouth to speak when someone approached us and cleared her throat. Startled, Alice and I glanced at the newcomer.

"Can we help you?" Alice asked, her eyebrows furrowed.

The visitor was an elegant-looking woman in her mid-thirties. She was wearing a one-piece, ivory-colored dress with matching heels. Her makeup was done perfectly, and her hair was up in a ponytail. She was pretty, but not in a striking, obvious way.

"I'm sorry for interrupting your conversation," the woman said. "But I just couldn't help it. Forgive me."

"Of course," Alice said.

The woman smiled. "My name is Yvette Reynolds. I'm a talent scout from Hollywood. I'm actually on vacation, but my boss wanted to meet here for an emergency meeting. It seems that one of our actresses has backed out of a movie because she's pregnant…"

Yvette droned on and on while I wondered where she was going with this. But neither Alice nor I interrupted. We were trained to be polite.

"So I was wondering," Yvette said finally. "I've been thinking this ever since you came out on TV for the first time, but I really think that you would be a perfect actress, Mrs. Cullen."

It took me a moment to realize that she was talking to me. Alice wasn't married, and even if she was, she wouldn't be using the name Cullen. Then…

I looked at her, startled. "Me?"

"Oh, yes," Yvette said. "You have the beautiful face of an elegant, mature actress, and a perfect body figure too. I personally think that you would be perfect for the role of this movie. What do you think, Mrs. Cullen? Are you interested? Will you help us out of this tight spot?"

Alice was gaping. Her eyes were shining. "Wow! Bella, I can't believe…!"

I laughed, incredulous. "I'm sorry, Miss Reynolds. I think you have the wrong person. I can't act to save my life!"

Yvette chuckled. "We'll see. If you're interested…" She handed me her business card. "I'll be waiting for your call. I trust that you will make the right decision."

* * *

**AN: The next chapter will probably be a time skip. Like I said, this chapter was a bit fast-forwarding, but I hope everything made sense. Leave me lots of reviews, please!**


	21. Chapter 21: Interview

**Author's Note: Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.**

* * *

**Chapter 21**

**Edward's Point of View**

**Five Years Later**

"And…we're back with another great show for you on Tuesday night's _Interview with Eve_!"

I leaned back in my chair as applause and catchy introductory music erupted from inside the TV. I raised the volume before setting the remote control on the desk of my office.

"Tonight we have a real special treat for you all!" the hostess, Eve, gushed. "You wouldn't believe it even if I told you! Our guest tonight is a famous actress, someone very hard to bring onto a talk show! She's busy twenty-four/seven! Let's give it up for one of the top-paid actresses in Hollywood, someone who has captured the title of the Most Beautiful Actresses in Hollywood…Miss Isabella Swan!"

As always, when I saw her, whether on television or reality, my heart pounded with desire. She was wearing a one-piece red dress that looked beautiful on her, and her long, mahogany hair had been curled so that it swirled around her heart-shaped face.

Her walk was dignified and confident, and her greeting was pleasant and polite. She waved to her fans who were going insane with happiness, and who were mostly men. She sat gracefully next to Eve, who waited for the men to quiet down.

When they finally did, Eve said, "So! Bella! How are you?"

Bella stifled a laugh at the random question. "Perfectly fine, thank you for asking. And thanks for having me on the show."

"I think I should be thanking you, actually," Eve said, rather seriously. "You're very hard to get an interview with."

Bella laughed this time. "Oh, I don't know. I think I just have a strict manager. He manages everything and decides what interviews I accept or not."

"I see. That must be very frustrating, isn't it?"

"Sometimes, but most of the time, I find it very helpful. All I have to do is act and let everything flow."

"So…your new movie features you in a way that we've never seen you before. You've been doing a lot of romance, comedy, drama, and even horror, but wow. This time, you've transformed into an action star, eh?"

Bella smiled when someone in the crowd wolf-whistled. "I like changes. Moving on from one thing to another as an actress is, I think, a good way to escape any ruts."

"Now, we've all seen the trailer, and she's not _just_ an action star, is it?" Eve said. "A sexy one at that, and I'm sure all your fans are going crazy. The premiere is tonight, isn't it?"

Bella made an embarrassed face. "I'm not sure if that's going to get through, actually. My character is supposed to be charismatic and 'sexy' as you put it, and she's supposed to be this mysterious ninja person. But I had a really hard time trying to relate to her, and when I have a hard time, I really go all the way with that. It took me a while to figure her out, probably longer than the time her love interest took to understand her."

"Which brings us to another topic. Your love interest is Tom Cruise, someone who's way older than you are in real life. Was that…hard for you two to process? There were a lot of intimate scenes, after all."

I grew alert as I waited for her response. I was anxious to hear her answer as her husband, but I was also worried about the press. This was a trick question. They were wondering if there had been any special relationships during the shoot, but I needn't have worried. Bella avoided the question expertly.

"No, it wasn't hard at all," she said innocently, as though she didn't know their real intent behind the question. "As he is my senior, he was a lot of help to me, you know with the martial arts. It was something I started three months ago, so I wasn't completely familiar with it yet, but by practicing constantly with someone who knew it better, it helped me to become a better actress."

Eve looked disappointed. "I see. We heard you two had great chemistry between you."

"Oh, yes, I think I'd have to agree on that one," Bella said thoughtfully. "I wasn't sure if I could act cooperatively with him. I'm still so new to Hollywood after all. But he was such an easy guy to communicate with, and once we started talking on the first day, we just kind of clicked. It's like, as soon as he says his lines and makes some kind of expression, I know how to take it from there. I think it was one of the easiest and entertaining movies I've ever filmed so far."

"And now that we've hit upon the subject of this action movie, I know that all the fans are dying to hear you answer this question: How did you manage that motorcycle stunt? I have to say, I saw the movie yesterday, and whew! I was blown away! That scene had to take more than just a few stuntwomen, besides you of course."

Bella looked amused. "Actually, no, that was all me."

Eve raised her eyebrow. "Oh, come now, you can trust us. We're experts at delivering Hollywood secrets here, you can rely on us to tell the world awesomely."

Laughter was cued, and Bella chuckled. "Oh, I'm sure you'll be better than best. But no, seriously, that was all me. If, in an action movie, you can't see the actor's face actually doing the stunt, even just for a second, then it's most likely a stuntman. But in that scene, you can actually see quite clearly that it's really me."

"So how did you manage such a hard sequence?"

"I have to say, it wasn't without a huge effort," Bella admitted. "It was quite complicated, and I'd been learning it since the beginning of my weight training. I've been getting it wrong over and over that the stunt director had to tweak it a couple times until I could get it perfectly. I actually got a huge bruise, making a U-turn with the motorcycle, and that's even when the thing was on a wire." She laughed. "There's no way I could've turned that monster."

Eve smiled warmly. "Well, we all look forward to seeing your newest movie in theaters starting tonight at midnight! Let's move on and turn to the topic of your other life. Bella, you're leading two busy lives, not just one. Isabella Swan is just your stage name, I know, but a lot of people were extremely surprised when the newest of Cullens entered the entertainment world."

Bella nodded. "Believe me, I think I was more surprised than anyone else."

And cue, laughter. Eve gave a tinkling laugh before going on. "A few months, you're out in Hollywood, in the arms of some man, and the next few weeks, you're home in New York, doing your duty as the mistress of Cullen Corporations. Tell me, doesn't your husband ever get jealous?"

I did get jealous, but I'd never talked about it. Would Bella still have noticed?

Bella took her time answering. "I think he might be. He never tells me."

Eve was surprised. "Never? I think most husbands would tell his wife that he's jealous if she's out playing lover with another man."

Bella nodded slowly, thoughtful. "I think I would be too." She smiled then, fondly. "But my Edward is quite the gentleman, you know. He respects my privacy and my career, and he's very supportive."

My thoughts drifted briefly. Our marriage had come very far in the past five years. Bella had gradually learned to grow fond of me and see me as more than the man who could've been a brother. We had our intimate nights when she was home from Hollywood for the past three years now, and it seemed as though she was finally loving me back.

But I knew that was not the case. Her kisses were always vague and careful. Her casual remarks felt strange. And yet, I couldn't help but love this woman still more deeply as time went by. Would she ever love me back sincerely?

"You actually have two jobs. One, you're doing right now, and the other, you have to be a supporting wife to one of the biggest businessmen of one of the biggest corporations in the world. How do you manage those overwhelming responsibilities?"

Bella inclined her head. "I really don't know."

There was a long pause, as though Eve was waiting for her to continue. But Bella was obviously done, and when the awkward moment passed, the audience and Eve burst into laughter.

But Bella was serious. "Seriously, I really don't know how I'm doing this." She laughed playfully. "I guess you can say I'm BSing this entire thing."

"Yes, but I'm sure 'BSing' is quite hard to do as well, especially with your two careers."

Bella shrugged. "I think I'm quite good at it. I've been doing this for five years now."

"And that's something else I'd like to ask. How did you get started with acting? Was it your lifelong dream to pursue Hollywood?"

She seemed to find that funny. "No, I've never even considered acting. I used to think that I couldn't act to save my life, but now, I think I can manage it pretty well."

"Oh, I think you're doing more than managing it, you're excelling at it!" Eve said lightly. "You're acknowledged as one of the best leading actresses in Hollywood!"

Bella smiled modestly. "I was just lucky."

"So how did your career start? Not a lot of people know this."

Bella seemed to be deciding on her answer carefully. Then, her face indicated that she had decided. "It was a few months after I got married. I was out having lunch with my sister-in-law, and some talent scout approached me.

"This is the first time I'm admitting this except to my family, but I needed a source of escape at this time. It had been my choice to marry my husband, but somehow, I'd felt as though it had expected of me. I felt as though people's attentions and eyes on me forced me to marry him. I wasn't ready for such a grand life of a new family, riches, reputation…and most of all, I wasn't ready for marriage itself.

"I was thinking about escaping to college. Somewhere far away from New York, away from my husband and his family. And that's when the talent scout came in and offered me Hollywood. I took it.

"Now, of course, I'm an actress because I love it. I've learned to love acting, and I act because I enjoy it. And I've grown comfortable to my new life as well, and I don't feel the way I felt before. I love my husband. I love my new family."

"Now, _this_…is very interesting," Eve said, her eyes sparkling with interest. She had juicy news that was bound to explode all over the Internet in less than a few seconds. "This is the first time you're admitting this on a talk show, correct?"

"It's the first time I'm admitting this _ever_," Bella said.

"Why did you feel that way before?" Eve asked. "I'm sure your new family and husband were very good to you."

"They were."

"But?"

Bella shrugged. "What can I say? I was seventeen. I was naïve. I didn't know. And now, I do."

"You know at twenty-two? That's still quite young."

She smiled. "I learn quickly."

Eve smiled too. "Very well. I'm glad to hear that you don't feel that way any longer. Now, your husband, Edward Cullen, is just as famous as you are, even when it doesn't involve the title 'husband of Isabella Swan'. He's very popular amongst young women, as well as famous actresses of Hollywood as well. Tell us, what's he really like?"

Bella's lips twitched, then spread into an angelic smile, as though she couldn't help it. I couldn't help but feel slightly amused as well. What did she think of me?

"You mean, is it like a dream, living with him?" she teased the hostess, causing everyone in the studio to laugh.

Eve giggled. "Oh, just tell us everything about him."

"If I didn't know better, I'd say you're quite a fan of his as well, Eve," Bella noted lightly.

"Sorry," Eve said automatically, blushing. The studio laughed again.

Bella laughed as she said, "Don't be. It's nice to know that my husband has fans as well because it reminds me to never let go of him. I don't want to be mobbed by his fans. Their nails are quite sharp."

I laughed slightly at her exaggeration. So did the studio.

"Don't stall anymore, Bella," Eve chided, pouting.

"Like I said, he's very supportive," Bella said. "He's very reasonable. He thinks everything through before making a decision. I think he would've done very well as a lawyer, actually. A waste to be using those talents as a businessman, if you ask me.

"He's very considerate of others, and he's quite the gentlemen. I don't think you can find a man like him these days. They existed back in the nineteenth century, I think."

The audience laughed. Eve chuckled. "You're saying he's ancient?"

Bella looked playful. "No, just old-fashioned."

"Anything bad about him?" Eve wondered. "He sounds so perfect."

Bella's eyes looked distant, as though she was seeing me in her memory. "He _is_ perfect. There's _nothing_ wrong with him."

"Nothing?" Eve looked hopeful. "He doesn't snore? Any annoying habits? Does he flirt with other women? Anything?"

Bella laughed, sounding startled. "Is that what other husbands do? Quite the foreign subject to me."

"Seriously?" Eve asked, dubious. "I'm sure he must have something."

"He's an angel in bed, he doesn't smoke or drink or bite his nails off, and he doesn't even notice other women besides his mother and his sisters. And, me, I suppose," she added, laughing slightly. "Satisfied?"

_I_ was satisfied. It was nice to know that she was at least paying attention to me.

"Very," Eve said pleasantly. "And I take it you're not regretting marrying him?"

"Why, so you can take him away from me?" Bella teased back. "No, I'm perfectly happy with my marriage, thank you."

The audience laughed again, but I could tell that some of her fans were disappointed. Several men looked pouty.

"And that concludes out interview with Isabella Swan, ladies and gentlemen," Eve announced. "Bella, thank you for chatting with us tonight, and I wish you luck at your premiere tonight, and with your marriage as well."

"Thank you very much," Bella answered.

"And now, here's a clip from her new movie, _Revenge_, which is premiering tonight at midnight; go see it! And with that, _Interview with Eve_ will be back next week with none other than Tom Cruise! Good night, ladies and gentlemen!"

I watched Bella smiling and waving until commercial break started. Then, I shut off the TV and rose from my seat. I'd been waiting all day to watch the interview and had stayed late in my office to finish up some work. It had gotten so late that I'd had to watch from my workplace.

I'd never missed an interview or show where Bella had starred in. I always went to the theaters with one of my family members, usually Alice, to watch her movies. And tomorrow, I had a date with Rosalie, my brother's long-time girlfriend and recently, fiancée, to see _Revenge._

Alice had tried to join our date to make it a threesome, but Emmett hadn't let her. He'd told everyone that Rosalie had been waiting forever to watch this movie in _peace_, as he had emphasized.

At first, I'd refused to go on this date, until Emmett blackmailed me and told me that he would inform Bella all about an ex-girlfriend of mine whom she knew nothing about.

Rosalie seemed quite pleased to be going with me, as Emmett had a court trial to attend to. He had become quite successful as a lawyer, and had himself a good reputation here in New York.

As I descended the building in the elevator, my thoughts drifted back to my beautiful wife. I missed her daily. It had been three months since her last visit. When will she be back again?

* * *

**AN: Did you enjoy! Then leave me lots of love and reviews!**


	22. Chapter 22: Home

**Author's Note: Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.**

* * *

**Chapter 22**

**Bella's Point of View**

"Great job, Bella," my manager, Joe, complimented as we drove to the airport. "You're getting better at this. And good job, avoiding that trick question."

"What trick question?" I asked slyly, making him laugh out loud.

"Do you have to go home now?" Joe asked. "You're starting another movie in a month; there's really no point. Stay. Get ready."

I shook my head as I stared out the window of my car. "I need a change of scenery."

He rolled his eyes. "You were in New Orleans for the majority of _Revenge_, filming."

"Joe, I need a change of scenery with _people_," I said. "I miss my family."

"Bella, I'm telling you, you need to get ready for the role. If you're going to do another action, then-"

"I promise to work out when I'm in New York."

"Can I go with you?"

I resisted the urge to stick out my tongue. He's been asking me that since my first visit to New York after I'd started living in Hollywood. "No."

He sighed deeply and told our driver, Robert, to hurry up or I was going to miss my flight.

I'd been living separately from my husband and family since five years ago. I had a house in Hollywood, a huge one that Edward had bought just for me. I thought it was unnecessary, until Joe decided to crash out in a spare bedroom. So in the end, I had a roommate who was male, but Edward didn't care because Joe was fifty-five, had a wife and three kids in Australia while he lived alone, and was a good influence on me.

I visited New York every few months when I wasn't filming. I would stay for a month or so before returning to work.

My thoughts drifted to Edward. What would he be doing right now? Was he perhaps wondering when I'll be back again?

I'd grown fond of Edward in the way that he wanted me to. I wasn't sure if it could count as love, but I still saw him as a man. To be my brother, we had come a long way. It was too late anyway.

I loved him, but life as his wife was hard. His company was begging at our feet to produce an heir, insisting that we weren't trying hard enough. Which could be true. We weren't that desperate, as we were still young, and because we were separated most of the time, it wasn't easy.

But they made it sound like we weren't trying. We did. We really did. But how were they supposed to ask us to produce an heir when I couldn't get pregnant.

Concerned and pressured, I went to see a doctor secretly to do a fertility test. I was fine. I was more than capable of producing babies. I eventually made Edward do the test as well, though he laughed at me and told me I was being silly. There was nothing wrong with him either.

What, then, was the problem?

I didn't know. We had a ton of sex when I was home. But why wasn't it working? I felt as though I was failing my mission as the mistress of Cullen Corporations. This was my job, and yet, I wasn't doing very well on it.

"Bella!" Joe snapped. "Didn't you hear me?"

I glanced at him, broken out of my reverie. "What?"

"I called your name five times," he growled. "Are you listening to me?"

"Sorry. What, Joe?"

"I said, read your script when you're in New York. Memorizing would be good too."

Sighing, I took the thick packet that he gave me. While I missed my family, I wasn't happy to go face the frustrated board of directors of Cullen Corporations. No doubt they were waiting to pounce on me as soon as they get the word that I was home.

**Edward's Point of View**

"That was a good movie," Rosalie commented happily as she ate her leftover popcorn. "Bella was really good, wasn't she?"

"She was," I agreed, smiling as we exited the theater.

Rosalie grinned. "Thanks for watching it with me, Edward. You're the best."

I nodded. "It was fun."

She looked thoughtful. "When do you think she's coming back? She always comes when her movie is over. I miss her."

So do I, I said silently to myself. Was she going to do another movie before visiting?

Rosalie looked disappointed when she ended her phone conversation with Emmett as we drove out of the parking lot. "Edward, do you mind having dinner with me? Or are you too busy?"

"Why?" I teased. "Is Emmett cheating on you tonight?"

"No," she said, rolling my eyes but smiling. "He can't meet up with me tonight. He's pulling an all-nighter at his office, doing paperwork."

I chuckled. "Anything you want to eat?"

Rosalie smiled wider in relief. "How does steak sound? Since you treated me to a movie, I'll treat you dinner."

* * *

I arrived home at nine in the evening. I was in a cheery mood, having had a good time with Rosalie, talking about work and Emmett. It was amusing that my brother had had the nerve to do so many corny things while dating Rose.

Bella and I had moved out of my parents' house before she went out to Hollywood. We lived separately, in a huge house that Esme had built for us.

It was lonely when I was alone, in the huge building. It was too quiet, but I refused to come live with my parents and siblings. I liked the privacy. The maid came in and out twice a week, cleaning the house and stocking the kitchen with food while I was out working. It worked well with me.

I sighed wearily as I entered the house and locked the door. I trudged up the staircase to our bedroom, not giving the already dark living room a second glance.

But there was something wrong upstairs. Maybe it was my imagination, but instead of the usually cold feeling in the air, I felt warmth. My heart fluttered, as though my body knew before I did.

Quickly, I opened our bedroom door and slipped inside the dimly lit room. And I stared at the sleeping figure of Bella on an armchair, script on her lap, lopsided.

I instantly relaxed at seeing her, letting go of the tension that I didn't know I'd had. I wanted to go hug her, kiss her, and tell her how much I missed her. But I had learned that Bella still wasn't comfortable with the fact that we were husband and wife. I was afraid that if I did those things to her, she would shy away. Run away from me even. I was too much of a coward to risk it.

Every day, our marriage felt like glass. The slightest mistake would break it. And I never wanted to let the woman I loved go.

So swallowing down my desires, I closed the door softly and began to undress.

Bella stirred. She'd always been a light sleeper. She blinked her eyes groggily, then spotted me. "Edward."

I paused in the act of untying my necktie. "Hi, there, Miss Swan," I greeted her quietly, smiling slightly. "I see you're back."

Bella stretched as she got up, smiling. "Is that all you're going to say to me?"

To my surprise, she slipped her slender arms around me, hugging me from behind. "I missed you."

I chuckled, glad that she had made the first move, as always. It was like she knew that I was afraid to touch her, afraid that she wouldn't like it. I turned so that I was hugging her too. "I missed you too. I liked your movie," I added.

She pulled back slightly to see my face. "You saw it already?"

"Today. You were pretty hot."

She laughed, then put on a mockingly severe face. "Who'd you see it with? I smell perfume on you."

"Oops. I guess I got caught."

"Who?" she demanded.

"A beautiful woman," I said teasingly. "Tall, blonde, perfect body."

Bella made an exasperated sound. "Your secretary? Doesn't she have a boyfriend already? You're going to be the cause of their breakup, Edward."

I laughed. "No way. I can never take Helen Packer on a date. Her boyfriend is too protective. I think he used to be a wrestler."

"Who, then?"

"Rosalie," I answered.

"Oh." She pulled away and crossed her arms, frowning. "That's not nearly as interesting as I'd hoped." She turned and went back to her armchair, picking up the script and rolling it into a cylinder.

"Interesting?" I repeated, looking at her strangely as I draped my tie on a chair. "You were hoping I _was_ cheating on you?"

"I feel guilty," Bella said. "I'm always cheating on you."

I rolled my eyes. "It's your job, Bella."

"Yeah?" She cocked her head. "I have to admit, being in Tom Cruise's arms _was_ pretty nice." She winked.

I played alone. "Nicer than me?"

"Hm…" She pretended to think about it. "Almost."

"Is that all you can say to me after months?" I asked, walking toward her. I leaned in to kiss her. She accepted it before pulling away first, as always.

"So…how's work?" she asked, raising the cylinder script and looking through it at me playfully. "Bearable without me?"

"No, I'm ready to die," I said, turning around for the bathroom. "When did you get here?"

"This afternoon."

"Why didn't you call? You always call."

"I thought I might surprise you. Hurry back," she added as I slipped inside the bathroom.

I felt a thrill as I turned on the shower. I would be able to sleep in her arms today. Smelling her intoxicating scent and waking up relaxed and happy.

Bella was that kind of presence to me. Home…and comfort.

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**AN: Reviews, please!**


	23. Chapter 23: Pressure

**Author's Note: Hi, my lovelies! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.**

* * *

**Chapter 23**

**Bella's Point of View**

After promising to come stop by his office later on, I watched him leave for work. I waved from the window and smiled slightly as his car disappeared out of sight. Edward…always hardworking.

I quickly got ready and drove away in my own car. I missed my family.

I let myself inside the Cullens' mansion with my key and sneaked inside. The place was filled with its usual aroma of Esme's excellent cooking and baking. Usually, huge houses like this would seem scary. But this mansion…it was always cozy. It was home.

I heard muffled voices and laughter coming from the kitchen. I threw open the kitchen door and sang, "Surprise!"

Gasping, Esme whirled around, still holding the spatula. "Oh my goodness! Bella!"

I embraced my mother-in-law warmly. "How are you doing, Esme? I've missed you."

"We've missed you too," Carlisle said, smiling. "Welcome back, Bella. When did you get in?"

"Yesterday afternoon." I gave him a hug too. Finally, I turned to my siblings-in-law. "Hey, how you doing?"

Emmett rolled his eyes. "Are you kidding? Get over here." He held out his arms, and I jumped into them, giggling.

"It's good to be home," I teased. "I get such warm welcomes."

"Hey, action star," Rosalie said, winking. "I liked your movie."

"Ah, the movie," I said, nodding knowingly. "Yeah, I heard you were cheating with my husband." I winked at Emmett subtly.

Rosalie laughed. "Is that what he said? Yeah, he is pretty handsome, you know."

Emmett nudged her, pouting, while I turned to greet Alice.

"Are you hurt?" Alice wondered when she finally released me. "I saw the movie too; those stunts couldn't have been easy."

I smirked. "Nah. Easy as pie. Speaking of pie, I'm hungry. Is lunch ready yet, Esme?"

"Soon," she promised. "We've got to fatten you up before you leave again; you've lost weight!" She placed her hand on her hips and glowered at me maternally. "Don't tell me they put _you_ on a diet."

"Well…they didn't starve me, but they insisted on putting me on a treadmill for three hours straight every day." I quickly turned back to Rosalie before Esme exploded indignantly at the news. "So…where's the rock?"

Rosalie grinned, and she held up her left hand. "Pretty, isn't it?"

A diamond ring glistened beautifully from the fourth finger. I gasped slowly. "You're giving her _that_? You're spoiling her," I said disapprovingly, punching Emmett lightly.

Emmett chuckled. "Nothing too much for my baby." Rosalie smiled sweetly at him.

"Besides, who are _you_ to say anything?" Alice asked, her eyes narrowing. "You've got a pretty big rock yourself." Her gaze flickered to my left hand. "Why aren't you wearing it?"

I made a face. "It's too big and distracting. It keeps blinding me and getting in the way. So I put it in the safe. That was six months ago. Where have you been?"

Alice grimaced and sighed. "Guess I missed it. I've been so distracted lately."

"Boy trouble?"

"No," she said, smiling now. "Jasper and I are back together now. That was just a small argument."

"Where is he?"

"Working."

I raised my eyebrow. "Are you ever going to get married?"

She rolled her eyes. "Is he ever going to propose?"

"Whoo!" Emmett exclaimed, bringing his fist to his mouth. "Burn." He winced when Alice slapped his arm.

I chuckled. "I'll…put in a word for you."

Alice shook her head. "Don't. I don't think he wants to marry me." She looked really put-out. "All my brothers are married, and all that's left is little old me." She sighed, wiped her hands with a towel and disappeared out the kitchen.

I stared after her, my mouth hung open slightly. "Uh…are you sure they're back together?"

Esme shrugged. "Heaven knows. They've been going on and off. Really rough relationship they have lately."

"Will you stay tonight?" Emmett asked hopefully. "We haven't seen you in, like, forever."

I shook my head. "Can't. I have to leave for the company right after lunch." I sat down on a high stool glumly. "No doubt those board of directors are waiting to pounce on me."

Rosalie shot me a sympathetic look. "No offense, but I'm sure glad I'm not in your place. How do you manage all your responsibilities?"

I sighed wearily, staring at our wedding photo that was hung up against the kitchen wall. "I've been asking myself the same question for years."

* * *

I walked briskly through the cool hallways of Cullen Corporations, my black stilettos clacking neatly on the marble floor.

I passed many employees as I made my way to the conference room, where I knew Edward was having a meeting with his board. As I passed, the employees all moved to the side, gawking dreamily. I felt their stares burning from the top of my body to the bottom.

This was the pressure I'd dealt with for years. For five years, I'd had to endure the whispers of people who envied my place, who envied Edward for having such 'a beautiful bride'.

I'd learned to ignore it, but it was hard when you were also a Hollywood star. Thankfully, none of them came forward to ask for an autograph.

I waited for the elevator impatiently, tapping my right toe slowly as I watched the numbers come down. And finally, when the doors opened, I saw that the car was already full.

The employees in the elevator car gasped in perfect synchronization when they recognized me standing in front of them. They probably hadn't heard that I was back yet.

My lips curled up in amusement, and I pressed the up button again to send the full car on its way. The door closed, with the frozen employees still behind it.

Was I that intimidating? Was I that recognizable? I sure wasn't wearing a business suit or some kind of fancy outfit that would draw me to attention. Did I have some kind of aura radiating off of me?

I finally made my way to the conference room, where the hallways were carpeted. I walked in a dignified way, the way I'd been taught in my lessons, and approached the end of the hallway, where the biggest conference room was located.

Edward's secretary smiled and bowed her head slightly in respect. I nodded once at her. "Gianna."

"Welcome back, Mrs. Cullen," Gianna said warmly. "I hope you're doing well?"

I smiled. "Very well, thank you. Have they started yet?"

Her smile faded slightly. "Ah…yes." I could tell that they'd started hounding on Edward already about the heir problem.

Taking a deep breath, I nodded once more and let Gianna open the door.

There had been loud chattering inside, but when the door swung open and I walked into the cool, air-conditioned room, the voices died away. And taken aback, a few of the directors rose from their seats, staring at me.

Edward turned his head from where he was sitting, at the head of the long conference table. He smiled my favorite crooked smile, welcoming me silently.

"Good afternoon, gentlemen," I greeted them politely. "What has gotten you so worked up already? I believe this meeting started barely ten minutes ago."

I walked past them all to join Edward and stood behind him, with my hand on his shoulder.

Clearing their throat at my appearance, the directors all took their seat again, now silent.

I laughed humorlessly. "So now you all have nothing to say? Great timing, just as I walked in. Are you afraid of me?"

I was sure that they hadn't forgotten last year's incident, when they held this meeting on a day when I hadn't been in such a good mood. I was ashamed to say that I'd lost my temper and said some things that made them shut up about the touchy subject. I was already stressed as it is. If anyone was worried about the empty position of the heir, it would probably be me.

They were all avoiding looking into my eyes, probably recalling last year's meeting. They didn't want to antagonize me again. If they said something to insult the two of us ever again, I was almost certain that I would be the one to fire them.

I felt Edward tense under my hand. I knew that he was worried about me. He could take their complaints every day and deal with it. He knew I couldn't.

I drummed my fingers lightly on his shoulder, reassuring him. I wasn't backing down if one of them challenged me again.

My eyes fell on one middle-aged man who had been the first one to insult me last year. I still had grudges against him. "How are you doing, Mr. Brown?"

Steve Brown flinched visibly and cleared his throat. "I'm doing fine, madam, thank you for asking."

I smiled sweetly. "You don't look very pleased to see me, Steve. As for me…I missed your loud mouth."

Edward smiled slightly and lowered his head to hide his amusement. He didn't do anything.

There was a slight stirring movement all around the room. I was making this uncomfortable for them, which was what I wanted.

"Do you have anything to say to me this year, Steven?" I asked, my eyes boring into his. He could be counted as the leader of this board and had a lot of influence. He was usually the first one to lead anything if they wanted something.

He hesitated for a moment longer before clearing his throat. "Yes, I do, Mrs. Cullen."

I raised my eyebrow. "I'm all ears."

"Another year has passed, and still, there is no news about an heir," Brown said. "Would you mind explaining why that is? You definitely said that you would be trying. Very hard."

"Steven," Edward warned quietly.

"I did say that," I said pleasantly, ignoring my husband. "But surely, you have to understand my perspective as well, gentlemen. I am not a housewife. I don't stay home, cooking and cleaning, and serving my husband with all my heart. I have a job, as you all know. And since I'm all the way across the country most of the time, how do you expect me to become pregnant in just a year? I told you that we would try harder. I didn't agree within a time limit, however."

Another director cussed under his breath, and Brown looked like I had slapped him in the face. Or stuffed his mouth with sour lemons.

"Any more complaints?" I asked dangerously. "Because I have some excuses to make too. I'm all ready for you, gentlemen."

Silence.

"Good," I said. "Now, then, I trust that there will be no more nonsense meetings about this problem. I gave you my word that we would try. And we will. If you wait patiently, I'm sure there will be some good news. At this point, pressuring me…wouldn't be very helpful." I looked at Brown. "Right, Steve?"

He avoided my eyes.

I glanced down at Edward, who was smiling again. I could tell that he was proud of me for handling this more calmly.

"Well, then," I said lightly, walking away slowly. "I think we're done here. Dismissed." I gave Edward a subtle wink before exiting the conference room.

Gianna followed me instead of waiting for her boss. "Mrs. Cullen, if I may say so, you rock."

I glanced at her, smiling slightly. "I do, don't I?" But I couldn't help but feel that usual panic rising to my throat.

* * *

**AN: What'd you think? Leave me reviews!**


	24. Chapter 24: Confrontation

**Author's Note: Again, short chapter. Hey, I've got things to do, but I wanted to update today. Have fun!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.**

* * *

**Chapter 24**

The more I thought about the situation, the more pathetic I felt. I knew exactly what was going through those men's minds. _Why did she marry him if they weren't going to have children? Was it for the money and fame? Does she even love him at all?_

I felt sick. Because I knew it was true. Who was I fooling? I still didn't love Edward in the way he loved me. All these years, I'd been acting, pretending. Even when I was home, away from Hollywood, I was acting. To me, he was still the protective older brother who was always there for me. Why couldn't I change that?

I was guessing that was the reason why we had no kids until now. My heart wasn't in it. The feeling wasn't mutual. I had to give it my all to try harder, but I knew that it had all been just empty words.

I wasn't sure about this now. I'd been his wife for five years now, and I could tell that he still loved me. That hadn't changed at all. He still wanted me. But I didn't deserve it. It felt wrong.

For the first time since our marriage, I considered giving up all this up. Seriously considered it. Edward deserved so much better, and honestly, he would be so much better off with somebody else. Somebody who would willingly love him.

Our bedroom door opened, and I looked up, startled.

"Hey," Edward said softly, having returned from work. "You okay?"

I glanced at the clock, which indicated five o'clock. "You're home early."

"I couldn't wait to get home to you," he replied. He tossed his briefcase and suit jacket in an armchair and walked toward me. He hugged me gently but firmly.

How could I possibly consider this? It was clear he loved me a lot. It would kill to even bring up the subject.

But I'd been living for my husband all this time. I'd decided to marry him, thinking about his tight position, and I had supported him with his work. He had always been my first priority.

What if I wanted to be a little crazy this time? I wanted to live for me, just this once. I was never going to be happy if I didn't break free from these bonds.

I pulled away, feeling bemused. "You should go change."

Edward looked hurt. He could always tell when I was angry with him. "What did I do?"

I sighed, looking out the window. "Nothing. Nothing."

"Is it because of the meeting today?" he asked. "I thought you handled it very well."

I smiled bitterly. "I always do, don't I? I always manage to shut them up, and then I feel guilty because I feel like I'm not trying hard enough, like they're accusing me of."

Edward kneeled in front of my chair and grabbed my shoulders. He squeezed gently. "What's the matter with you? This isn't the Bella I know. My wife doesn't know weakness. She's always strong and proud, confident about everything. Where is she?"

I stared into his green eyes and reached up to caress his cheek slightly. "I don't know. Maybe she's gone."

His eyebrows furrowed. "Bella? Do you have something to say to me?"

I brushed away his hands from my shoulders. "I'm tired of living like this, Edward."

I saw it in his eyes. The fear.

I wasn't an idiot. I'd always known that he had always been afraid that I would end up leaving him. He always waited for me to make the first move before touching me. He watched me carefully, like I was glass. His worst fear was that I would leave him because I'd never fallen in love with him.

He wasn't stupid either. He knew that I still didn't love him that way. He didn't say anything because I, at least, pretended. What if he mentioned it and I did left him? I was sure that he would resist, try to hold on.

"Bella," Edward said quietly. "Don't. Don't do this." He knew exactly what I meant.

I made a sound of disbelief as I got up from my seat and started pacing the room, away from him. "Edward, let's not pretend anymore. Let's be honest. You _know_."

He rose to his feet again, facing me. "Let's not be honest." He looked angry now, frustrated.

I turned to him, incredulous. "You really want to keep living like this? Because let's face it, Edward. You and I both know that I never fell in love-"

"Stop," Edward snapped. "Just…stop. Don't say it."

I shook my head. "I don't want to hurt you, Edward. I care about you a lot. But this…" I laughed breathlessly. "This is some serious shit we're doing. It's like…fraud. We've both been pretending for too long."

"Pretending?" Edward asked, his voice becoming louder. His face was cold and icy, an expression he'd never used with me before. And I knew I'd stepped over the line. "You think _I've_ been pretending? I've never pretended that I loved you in my entire life. Everything I've said to you, everything I've given you was never a lie."

"That's what makes it so hard for me!" I yelled, frustrated too. "Every touch, every kiss you gave me was true! I feel guilty all the time! I can't help how I feel, Edward!"

He took a few steps toward me. "I thought you'd learn. I thought…you'd change."

I made an impatient sound. "Well, I didn't. I can never change the way I feel about you."

Hurt flashed across his face. "You never tried hard enough."

"That's what everyone says," I shrieked, losing my temper. "I tried, Edward. But it just wasn't meant to be. You don't know. You don't know how much I wanted to fall for you. To make everything so much easier for me." Angry and pained tears prickled in my eyes. "I wanted to love you, Edward. I really did. I married you, thinking that I could learn. But…" I shook my head. "This is…this has gone far enough."

His jaw tightened stubbornly. "So…what? You want a divorce? Is that it?"

"I want to be free, Edward," I said quietly. "I want a life of my own. I'm not living right now. I…I want to give up."

"Isabella Marie Swan Cullen," he growled. "You of all people should never say that to me."

"It was always about you," I whispered. "Ever since I married you, I practically gave up everything to help you succeed. You did, and I went on to care for my husband. To do my duty as your mistress, to support you and the company. I was never free, from the moment I said those two words that bound me to you. I've always felt suffocated. I want to live my own life now."

He was furious. I could see it. I could tell that he wanted to hit something, anything. He was trying to control his anger, but I could see his wild eyes. The hurt…the pain…the betrayal…

Tears formed in his eyes as well. "If you think I'm going to let you go so easily…think again."

"Edward!"

"I'm never giving you this," he said, shaking his head. "I refuse."

My expression turned pleading. "Please, Edward. Just…just let me go. Find someone else to take my place. I'm sure she'll do better, a hundred times better because she'll love you. She'll be able to love you back."

"I want _you_!" Edward shouted.

Silence fell in the huge house, and his shouts echoed around the room. I stared at him blankly as my tears fell down my cheeks. I'd always known it, but to hear it so passionately from him…it just broke something inside of me.

I realized that he could never let me go. He would never divorce me. It wasn't an option.

"I've always wanted you," he said in a normal voice now. His voice shook with fury. "But every time you touched and kissed me, you were always so hesitant, never able to give yourself over to me fully. What were you so afraid of? In the back of your mind, you were always resisting me. Unconsciously, you were too stubborn to try to change your feelings toward me. Am I wrong?"

I began sobbing silently, never taking my eyes off of him. Yes, he was right. I realized that now. If I had just given him all of me, we wouldn't be doing this right now.

I watched as he walked closer to me until he was barely an inch away from me. He pulled me into him and hugged me as though he never wanted to let me go.

"Was it too much to ask for your heart, Bella?" he asked softly. "Was it too much to give it to me? Why couldn't you be mine?"

I just stood there, not hugging him back. I couldn't seem to move.

I was such a rotten person. If I had thought that he didn't deserve someone like me before, then I was more than convinced now. He deserved someone whole and beautiful, someone who could love him unconditionally and irrevocably until forever ended. It could never be me.

"I realize that this is what you truly want," Edward continued. "And I want to give you everything you want. I want you to be happy. But this…I can never give it to you, Bella. I'm sorry."

He pulled away first this time, and after staring at me for a long moment, he reached up to wipe away my tears. Then, silently, he left the bedroom, leaving me to fall to the floor helplessly and sob hysterically.

* * *

**AN: Emotional, I know. But inevitable. Reviews?**


	25. Chapter 25: Impasse

**Author's Note: Fights and arguments. Raised voices and snapping. What's going to happen to Edward and Bella now?**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.**

* * *

**Chapter 25**

I wasn't giving up. I confronted Edward again at breakfast the next day before he went to work, but like yesterday, he wasn't hearing about a divorce.

And in our hot argument, we didn't hear the front door opening and closing.

"I told you," Edward growled, his figure tense. "I'm not going to let you go."

"It's not going to help you!" I said, throwing my hands up in the air exasperatedly. "Stop being so stubborn and listen to me. You can be with someone who loves you all the time, who wants you all the time instead of someone like me who doesn't deserve you!"

Edward looked so angry. But for once, I didn't back down. I had to fight for my freedom. I didn't want this life anymore.

"Don't ever say that," he said sharply. "Don't ever say that you're not worthy of me. If anything, I'm the one unworthy of you, and it's true that I might not deserve you. But you _are_ mine, and I'm never letting go of that."

There was a loud gasp, and we both turned to see Alice and Esme at the dining room doorway. They looked shocked.

I looked away quickly, shame rising from my stomach while Edward shoved away his chair and stood up. He didn't kiss me like he usually did when he left for work, but merely brushed past me coldly. He didn't even acknowledge his mother and sister and a few seconds later, I heard the front door closing.

"Esme, Alice," I greeted them stiffly. "Why didn't you call?"

Esme looked horrified. "Bella! What…what…"

"Are you serious about this?" Alice asked, shocked. "Why? When did this happen?"

"A divorce?" Esme sounded faint. "No, no, no. Bella, what are you thinking?"

I sighed as I reached for Edward's untouched plate of food. I walked briskly to the kitchen and dumped the food in the trash, then left the plate in the sink.

When I returned, Esme had sat down on a chair, and Alice was murmuring to her in soothing turns. She straightened when she saw me, her expression fierce and demanding. "Explanation. Now."

* * *

We moved to the living room, and for the next two hours, I explained about the meeting with the board of directors and how I didn't want to deal with this anymore. And then, I had to hear denials and begging from Esme, as she pleaded for me to think about it again and change my mind. Alice was surprisingly quiet.

"Bella," she said finally. "Since when have you been thinking about this?"

I shrugged heavily. "A while, I guess. I just wasn't desperate enough to voice my opinion."

"And now you are?"

"I feel…guilty. I know Edward's been waiting for me to come around for years now, but…" I shook my head fiercely. "He can't. I don't deserve that. He needs someone better, someone who can offer him love, care, and the support that I haven't been giving him. And most of all, an heir."

Alice made an impatient noise as Esme breathed deeply in and out, her hand on her chest. "Bella, you've been giving him all that! You've been giving him encouragement and support, just like he wanted. He never wanted more from you, and as for that bull those old directors are giving you, you two are still young! There's plenty of time for children later.

"But Bella, you're being unreasonable right now. I understand your need for freedom, but you two are so incredibly busy, and you're hardly home. You probably hadn't had a chance to love him more than the way you've always felt, but come on! A divorce? You can't do this to him!"

I sighed. "Alice, this is about me. I'm so tired of trying to learn to love him like I should as his wife. I'm tired of all the pretending and faking I have to do. I'm sorry, but I have to face it. What has five years of marriage brought me? I didn't end up falling for him eventually or give him a son that looks like him, did I? At this point, I think giving up is-"

"No!" Esme blurted out. "Oh, no, Bella! Don't even go there. How can you?" She began crying.

I felt so bad at the moment, knowing that I was saying this so bluntly and selfishly in front of my husband's mother and sister. I felt so incredibly ashamed that I looked away, unable to face them.

Alice was upset too. "I can't believe this. We come over, wanting to spend the day with you after months of not seeing you because you were out in Hollywood. And we just happen to come across you two arguing like a bunch of old people who's gotten into a rut. Seriously? You can't leave him, Bella. You just…can't. Think about how he'd cope. Because he _won't_. He won't be able to cope. He loves you too much to let you go. He won't."

I sighed deeply. I was ashamed that we'd gotten caught. I hadn't meant to make such a big deal out of this, but of course, I'd been foolish. How could Edward's family not get involved with this? This marriage had meant so much for the Cullens. They loved and cared for me. They were my family. How can I give them so much harm?

Esme took a deep breath. "Bella, honey. Think about what you're asking of us. Of Edward. It would kill him to even think about divorcing you. Don't you know how much he loves you?"

"I do, Esme," I said softly. "That's why I have to do this. It's unhealthy for him to be so obsessed with me when I'm not. He deserves to have someone better."

"You're the best one for him!" Alice burst out. "How can you not see that? If you would just _try_, then none of this would happen!"

I looked at her like she's just slapped me in the face. "Alice."

She, too, was crying now, but she was glaring at me halfheartedly. "We could all see it, Bella. You weren't trying hard enough. You weren't putting your all into trying to love him and not see him as a brother. You weren't interested in him, but that was the reason you couldn't have kids. How can you, when your heart's not in it?"

I felt a slash go through my heart as she said that. It hurt so much, hearing the truth from someone who like my own sister. Who _was_ my sister.

"I love you, Bella," Alice continued. "But this is some serious bullshit. You just want to give up? After five years, you just want to give up?" She shook her head. "I'm sorry, Bella, but I can't let you do that. I can't let you do that to my brother!"

"Honey, let's…let's talk about this some more," Esme begged. "You're making rash decisions. You're still young. You don't know…you could still try. Try once more…try to care for him in the way that you should. Please, Bella… I don't want to see my son and daughter break like this. You're both important to me, and if you two divorce…you'll break all of us."

* * *

I was torn. After Alice and Esme had left, I'd ran upstairs and burst out crying. Life was so freaking unfair. It was hard to get what I wanted. Love…life…freedom.

I wanted out so badly. I couldn't endure this suffocation anymore. It was pressing me down until I couldn't breathe anymore. I was tired of this.

What was I supposed to do now?

By now, I was sure that the entire family knew. Emmett and Jasper would probably be calling Edward to find out what had happened, and Carlisle would be trying to comfort a distraught Esme…

I needed comfort too. I needed advice.

Slowly, I reached for my phone and dialed the number I hadn't called in a while. After two rings, he picked up. "Hello?"

"Dad?" I asked quietly. "It's me, Bella."

"Bella," Charlie said, sounding surprised. "Is something wrong?"

"What, I can't call you?"

"No, no, it's not that," he said, laughing. "It's just…you're always so busy to call, it's usually me that calls you. Is something wrong?" he added when he heard me sniffle.

"Um…well…" I sighed. "I don't know where to start."

"Go on, Bells," Charlie urged, worried now. "Tell me."

I took a deep breath. "I fought…with Edward."

There was a pause. "Has he been cheating on you or something?" he asked in a threatening voice. "Hurting you? What?"

"No, Dad," I sighed. "He's been nothing but wonderful. It's me who has been acting like a selfish wife. I told him…I told him I wanted a divorce."

I could almost see his jaw dropping. "Bella! No way!"

"It's such a mess right now," I mumbled. "I can't live like this anymore, Dad. Pretending that I love Edward the way he loves me…pretending to be trying to have sex more than usual so that I could sire him an heir." At this point, I was too miserable to be embarrassed about mentioning sex to my father. And thankfully, he, too, was now preoccupied to feel awkward.

He was silent for a while. Charlie knew all of my concerns about my marriage. He didn't have to ask questions. He'd always been there to encourage me for five years.

"You don't want to do this anymore?" he asked quietly. "You want to just…give up?"

"Yes," I sighed. "And Edward…he deserves better than me, you know? Someone who can love and support him, even give him children. I shouldn't hold him back, trying to believe that I can still learn to love him. It's just…I'm at an impasse right now."

"What did Edward say when you told him you wanted a divorce?" Charlie was dead calm about this. It was something he'd gone through before, so I supposed he did know more than I did.

"He refused to listen," I said dully. "He's denying what I said. He refused to give me a divorce." I closed my eyes. "It's a total disaster, Dad. We were fighting again this morning, and Alice and Esme walked in on us. It was…horrible."

He gave a grim chuckle. "So the in-laws know, eh? That's…bad. What are you going to do?"

"I don't know," I said helplessly. "That's why I called. I can't exactly go to Edward for help like I always did, can I? I want out, Dad. So bad."

"I don't know what to say, Bella," Charlie admitted. "This is something you have to deal with your husband. Maybe if you talked it through with him, you'll reach some kind of understanding, a compromise, maybe."

I made an incredulous noise. "There's no compromise in a divorce, Dad. Come on. It's either separation or no separation. Simple."

"Honey, I know you're having a hard time, but divorce… I have to say this. It's not that simple. Maybe if you'd married some random, normal guy, it'd be easier to deal with this. But this is Edward Cullen we're talking about. Your husband is a successful businessman, and quite frankly…as his wife, you're not gonna be able to wiggle out of this so easily. You understand what I'm saying?"

I felt the tears rising. "So…what? You want me to deal with this on my own?"

"I'm sorry, Bella," Charlie sighed, and he did sound apologetic. "But I can't help you with everything in life, least of all, your marriage. I'll be rooting for you to get back on your feet, but you're going to have to make your decisions all by yourself, honey. I'll support whatever decision you make. Choose what's best for you. And follow your heart."

I tried not to give any clues that I was crying. "Yeah, I understand. I'll…try to…figure it out."

There was a long pause before Charlie said, "I love you, honey. Good luck." And he hung up.

Somehow, after hearing my father's voice, it made me more emotional. My heart was breaking, and I felt so frustrated. Something broke, and I began sobbing my heart out, grabbing my pillow as I cried.

I couldn't control it, I couldn't stop. I was getting hysterical every minute, and I felt pain. How was I going to get out of this?

The bedroom door opened, and Edward walked in, looking just as miserable. When he saw me crying, his eyes grew wide, and he hurried toward me, dropping his briefcase and suit jacket on a chair, argument forgotten. I seriously didn't deserve him. He was always so sweet and caring, and I was always such a selfish bitch.

"Bella!" Edward said, his velvety voice laced with concern. He sat, perched on the edge of the bed as he stroked his fingers lovingly through my hair. "What happened? Why are you crying?"

When I didn't answer, only wailed louder, he sighed. "Bella, will you please stop crying and look at me? I can't see your lovely face if you hide it behind your pillow like that."

"Go away," I snapped, slapping away his hand. "I don't want to see you. I don't want to talk to you!"

Edward was silent for a while. Then, he said slowly, "Bella, I know what you must be thinking right now. Why can't I just let you go easily? Why can't I sign the papers and just get over you? Am I right?"

I sat up, lowering my pillow, my eyes bloodshot and puffy. "Of course! Why can't you? Why can't you just end both our misery?"

"Because I won't," Edward answered patiently. "It might make you happy, but I won't be. I would be losing you. How will that benefit me? It won't."

He stared at me rubbing my eyes wearily. He reached out and tucked a lock of my hair behind my ears. "How long have you been crying, love?"

"I don't know," I replied quietly. "A while."

"You'll ruin your beautiful face like that," he chided gently. "Remember, you're an actress. Your face is your life."

I took a deep breath. "Leave, Edward. I just can't…I can't…" I fought for words.

"I'm guessing Esme and Alice didn't take it well," he said quietly, changing the subject. "I expected it. We'd always gotten along. Us fighting would've been a huge shock."

"If you won't leave, I will," I said stubbornly, shoving the pillow at him childishly and getting out of bed. I was heading for the library when he grabbed a hold of my wrist and spun me around.

"Bella, stop being so stubborn," Edward said in a hard voice. "You know I won't give up on you. Why are you making this so hard for both of us?"

"Because you know what I want!" I replied forcefully. "You won't give it to me!"

"Do you realize what people would say? The company, the board… They'll freak out, Bella. You're not helping me by doing this, like you think you are."

"I told you. Get another girl. Divorce me and marry her instead."

His face hardened. "How can you say that so easily? How can you say that to me?"

"I'm selfish," I answered. "I don't want you getting hurt, but-"

"Then stop!"

Edward's sudden raised voice shut me up. He placed his hands on my shoulder. "Please, Bella. Just…just stop. You're not making this any easier for me." His voice contained hurt and pain.

I immediately felt guilty. Pain flashed across my face. "See?" I whispered. "All I do is make you hurt. You're better off without me."

I brushed his hands away and changed course, heading instead for a guest room. "Let's sleep separately tonight."

* * *

**AN: Oh, damn! Burn. What'd you think? Reviews?**


	26. Chapter 26: Counseling

**Author's Note: Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.**

* * *

**Chapter 26**

**Edward's Point of View**

Bella was scaring me. I'd never seen her more determined and set on something. She was stubborn. When she wanted something, she never backed down.

Why was she so desperate to get away from me? Why couldn't our love have been easy? Why was it always me that had to live life the hard way? Didn't anything want to be on my side anymore?

At her words, I couldn't help but recoil slightly. I watched helplessly as she disappeared into the guest room and made sure to shut the door.

She didn't want me. She'd never wanted me. All this time, I'd been fooling myself, trying to fantasize about the life I'd wanted to have with Bella. Everything was so complicated now.

Why now? Why couldn't we have gotten through this before? Maybe she should've just refused to marry me altogether, instead of giving me a taste of what our marriage life could've been before dropping this bomb on me.

I hated myself, knowing that I was the reason she was crying. I knew I was being extremely selfish, but what was I supposed to do? I loved Isabella Swan. I couldn't let her go. I knew that if I agreed to sign those papers, I would be making the biggest mistake of my life.

**Bella's Point of View**

I stared into space, hugging my knees to my chest. I knew I should face him. But it hurt. It hurt so much that I couldn't face him. Knowing that it was me who was making him suffer. Knowing that I'd wasted five years of his patience and love.

I shouldn't even exist. What was the purpose of this? My existence was only causing the people I loved to suffer.

My phone was vibrating. It had been vibrating nonstop all evening. I knew it was from Alice or maybe Renee. My mother would've already heard the news from Charlie.

I knew I should answer. But I couldn't find the will, the strength to even look at my phone. I was losing it.

I closed my eyes. I should undress and go to bed. But my pajamas were in our bedroom, and I didn't want to face Edward. If I did, I would just burst into tears all over again.

I was committing sin against him. I loved him, but it just wasn't the right kind of love. Why did it had to be this kind of love? Was fate trying to ruin me, destroy me?

* * *

I woke up with a jolt, some time later, it seemed. But one look at the clock, and I knew that it was already six in the morning.

I rolled over, trying to go back to sleep. I didn't want to face him any earlier than I had to. I was being childish and selfish, yes, but it was the way I felt right now.

There was the suffocation again. The need to break out. The need to get away.

I realized that my head was too filled with miserable thoughts to go back to sleep. A shower was I needed.

I crept out of bed quietly and reluctantly slipped into our bedroom. Edward was still asleep on his side of the bed.

My heart melted slightly at the sight. He, too, had fallen asleep in his clothes, and he looked uncomfortable but weary. Swallowing, I closed the bathroom door quietly and took a quick shower.

When I came out, wearing nothing but a bathrobe, he was still sleeping. He stirred when I began tiptoeing toward our walk-in closet, and I froze.

But Edward merely rolled over toward my side of the bed, and his arm rested there, as though he was hugging me in his sleep, like he usually did. The sight brought tears to my eyes as I was once again reminded of how much of a hard time I was giving him. Did he do that even when I was out in Hollywood too? Did he miss me that much? Always?

The agony was in my chest again, and I made myself rethink it for the hundredth time since last night. Must I really do this? Must I really break out, even if it means I was scarring Edward, possibly forever?

I had no intentions on going out today, so I kept my clothes simple. Sweats and a camisole. I threw a light gray sweater over me to block out the cold and came back out, this time heading for my makeup table.

I rubbed lotion on my skin and brushed my wild, damp hair. As I was putting the brush back in its place, a pair of strong, muscular arms snaked their way around my narrow waist. I tensed immediately.

"I'm sorry," I said stiffly. "I didn't mean to wake you."

He was fully awake, as though it had been a while since he'd woken up. He'd probably been watching me the entire time.

I avoided his gaze in the mirror in front of us. But his grip on me tightened, and he rested his chin on my shoulder lightly. "Look at the mirror, Bella. What do you see?"

I hesitated before obliging. "I see you. I see me."

"You know what I see?" Edward murmured. "I see a married couple. They're quite stubborn. At least…the wife is being stubborn."

I sighed. "You are too."

He looked sad. His normally bright green eyes seemed to have lost its life, its meaning. "Bella, please. You're being unreasonable. Think it through carefully. I'll do whatever you want. Anything, except this."

But I knew that it wasn't about Edward giving me more to make this marriage work. It had to be me. I had to be the one to work harder to try to succeed. But I was refusing to.

I shook my head. "Let me go, Edward. You're going to be late for work if I don't make you breakfast."

"I'm not going to work," Edward replied. "I'm taking a few weeks off, as long as you're here. I told them I was coming back to work when you left for Hollywood."

"What?"

"You heard me." His eyes were fierce now. "I won't let you out of my sight anymore. I have to be here to change your mind about this. It's absolutely ridiculous."

I pursed my lips. "I don't know how long I'm staying, really. You should go to work, Edward."

"No," he whispered. "I want to stay with you. Please, Bella. Won't you reconsider?" His lips brushed against the nape of my neck lightly as he inhaled my scent.

I just stared at our reflection blankly. "Won't you let me go?"

His eyes flashed. "I told you already. My answer won't change."

I exhaled in resignation. I reached up to free myself from his arms and turned for the door. "Come down in ten minutes for breakfast."

"Bella."

I paused at the door, my hand on the doorknob, but refused to turn around.

His voice was strong and possessive for the first time. "You're mine. You'll always be mine."

For the first time, I felt fear. It was a tone I'd never heard from him in my entire life. I knew the meaning behind it: _I'll do anything to make you mine._

I repressed a shudder and quickly exited, not looking back. I hurried down the stairs as fast as I could, feeling the fear grow in my heart as every second passed.

When I reached the kitchen, I grasped at the counter firmly, gasping for breath. Edward Cullen was never going to let me go.

* * *

Breakfast was a quiet affair. Halfway through the meal, Edward got a call from his sister. He spoke exactly one word, "Yes," before hanging up.

A few minutes later, we heard the front door burst open, and Alice flounced in, alone this time. Edward looked confused at her arrival, but I ignored her as she began chattering noisily, as though she didn't feel the tense atmosphere.

"So, Bella," Alice said conversationally. "Are you still insisting on that ridiculous idea about divorcing Edward?"

"Alice," Edward warned dangerously. "That's none of your business. Let us handle-"

"Handle what?" Alice snorted. "You two need professional help. And I've got just the thing for you!"

I looked up from my plate to see her sliding a business card in front of Edward. I raised my eyebrow. I was pretty sure the black bold letters on the card said: _Marriage Counselor, Dr. Harrison Webster._

Edward picked it up, scowling. "Marriage counselor? Alice, we don't nee-"

"Look, before you say anything, this is _not_ my idea," Alice interrupted. "Hard to believe, I know. But Mom is getting kind of…paranoid. She made me come give this to you, so you can't blame this on me. But I have to agree, it's an okay idea. Maybe counseling will help you understand each other better!"

* * *

An hour later, I was sitting in Dr. Webster's office with Edward. I was sure we both looked uncomfortable, looking out of place in the light room.

Dr. Webster was a small, bald man with round glasses on the tip of his pointy nose. He made me wonder why the hell I'd let Alice drag us here. We didn't need marriage counseling, we needed space from each other. Or, at least, I did.

Dr. Webster didn't seem to care about the fact that his new clients were a famous and well-known married couple, an actress and a businessman. Or maybe he just didn't watch TV or read the newspaper.

"How long have you two been married?"

"Five," Edward answered automatically.

"Almost six," I added.

"Look, we really don't need to be here," Edward said uncomfortably. "Can we…leave?"

Dr. Webster ignored the question. "On a scale of one to ten, how happy is your marriage?"

"Seven," Edward answered automatically again.

"Wait, wait," I said, holding up my hand. "Ten being the happiest, or…"

The man shrugged. "Just answer instinctively."

I sighed. I really didn't want to do this. It was pointless and silly. "Alright. Ready?"

"Yeah," Edward said, resisting the urge to roll his eyes.

"Seven," we said together.

"And why did you decide you needed a divorce?" Dr. Webster asked. "Seven is a pretty good number."

I fought the urge to reach over and slap him. "Because I can't handle the pressure anymore. There are a number of people expecting me to fulfill my duties as Edward's wife by giving birth to his heir. Do you know how stressful that is? Imagine being placed in my shoes, Dr. Webster. Do you think you'd like people to tell you to give birth when you _can't_?"

I heard Alice groaning outside when she heard my answer. We'd never told her to wait for us. She could've just gone home while we dealt with this clearly insane marriage counselor.

Edward looked perfectly fine, finding my question logical. Or maybe he'd been married for so long to me. Five years was plenty of time for my characteristics to rub off on him.

Dr. Webster gave me a weird look. "No, Mrs. Cullen. Believe it or not, I'm quite happy to be a man when it comes to babies and birth. I don't want to go through all that trouble."

"So you do agree that it's a logical reason for wanting a divorce, right?" I asked.

I heard Alice groan again and mutter profanities. Edward looked bothered by my question. "No. That's not a logical reason, Bella."

Before I could argue, Dr. Webster interrupted, "Based on the subject of babies, how often do you have sex?"

I stared at him. Edward sighed slowly, looking up at the ceiling, looking quite bored.

"Wait, I'm confused," I said, shaking my head. "Is this the one to ten scale thing?"

Dr. Webster cocked his head. "I guess."

"'Cause technically, one shouldn't be no sex at all, zero should be," I pointed out helpfully. "That's how the logic goes."

Alice seemed to lose her head out in the waiting room as she groaned out my name for the third time in embarrassment.

"Fine, then," Dr. Webster said calmly, patient. "On a scale of zero to ten."

"Five," Edward replied automatically.

"Wait," I said, frowning. "I'm not home that often. That should be taken into consideration."

"Exactly," Edward said. "I did."

"Oh," I said, nodding. "Ready?"

"Yeah."

Together, we answered, "Five," making Alice groan for the fourth time already, begging us to come out of the office and go back home.

* * *

**AN: Did you enjoy that session with Dr. Webster? In case any of you thought the conversation was funny and quite familiar, I'm just going to say that I took the idea from the movie, **_**Mr. and Mrs. Smith**_**. That's a good movie. Go watch it if you haven't. Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt...quite sexy, both of them. Leave reviews!**


	27. Chapter 27: Chance

**Author's Note: Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.**

* * *

**Chapter 27**

"Seriously, that was embarrassing," Alice moaned as Edward drove us to the family mansion. "I mean, sure, if I was an outsider, I would've found that hilarious, but as your sister, it wasn't funny!"

"We weren't trying to be funny," I said, scowling. "Isn't the whole point of counseling telling the truth?"

She glared at me from the backseat. "You didn't have to be so frank! I couldn't meet the secretary's eyes as we left!"

Edward shrugged. "No one said you had to be there."

"Mom insisted."

"You could've ditched us for shopping," I said mildly.

"This is so _not_ funny!" Alice snapped. "Your marriage is at stake! Can you two be serious? Edward, I feel like you're not that upset over this situation! Bella is insisting on leaving you! How can you be so calm?"

Edward didn't say anything for about half a mile. I just stared awkwardly out the window. Then, he answered quietly, "Because panicking won't make a difference. Don't you know Bella yet, Alice? She's a stubborn woman."

It was like I wasn't even there. Alice began telling her brother off for being an idiot and not making me fall in love with him. That didn't make sense at all. Because according to her since the last time she visited us with Esme, it had been _my_ fault for this whole ordeal because I hadn't tried hard enough. Whose side was she on?

Edward made a face when Alice's high-pitched voice made a sharp noise as she yelled at him. He winced and leaned away when Alice leaned in and screamed in his ear, "Are you listening, Edward Anthony Cullen? Bella will leave you if you don't step up to the game right now!"

He sighed angrily and gripped the steering wheel so hard that his knuckles turned white. Unfortunately, since Alice was leaning in to scream into his ear, she was also right next to my left ear.

Grimacing, I reached into my purse, took out earphones and stuck it into my phone. I turned the music on to my stepfather Phil's favorite band, put the volume on high, and settled back to enjoy the view.

* * *

"Hi, darlings!" Rosalie said sarcastically when we walked inside. "How was therapy session?"

"Shut up, Rose," Edward mumbled before slipping into the living room to join the men.

Rosalie raised her eyebrow at me as I leaned against the hallway wall and sighed. "Well, I take it you didn't have such a hot time. How was the doc?"

I rolled my eyes. "Dr. Webster…is a total psycho."

"He is not!" Alice fumed. "You two were the psychos. Sheesh. 'Because technically, zero should be nothing'," she imitated me poorly.

Rosalie looked confused. "Eh?"

"Bella thought she was being funny," Alice said scathingly. "When Dr. Webster asked them about how often they have sex, Bella was like, "Is this a one to ten scale thing? 'Cause technically, one shouldn't be nothing, zero should be'. Something similar like that. I thought I was going to die of humiliation."

"Rosalie thinks it's funny," I pointed out while Rose giggled. I sighed helplessly and headed for the kitchen with the two girls trailing me. "I told you, I was only being honest. And Edward was too."

"Apparently not," Alice shot back. "Edward was asking him how often _he_ had sex with _his_ wife at the end of the session."

Rosalie laughed harder at that. She had tears in her eyes. "Oh, my God. That's just…I don't even know. Hilarious!" She relapsed back into a new fit of giggles.

"That's just…great," I said, exasperated. "I told you. We were being serious. I do agree with you on one thing: This marriage business is no laughing matter. So we tried to take it seriously, but you seemed to think the opposite, Alice. I don't get it."

We entered the kitchen to see Esme busying herself within the aroma of her delicious cooking. She turned and brightened when she saw me. "Bella! How was your session with Dr. Webster?"

"Horrible!" Alice groaned, answering before I could open my mouth. "I'm never going back there with them ever again! I was so embarrassed."

Esme looked bemused. "Embarrassed? I don't…understand…"

Alice launched into her tale about our appointment with Dr. Webster while I quietly slipped back outside onto the patio. I needed some air.

I took a deep breath, staring into Esme's garden. The sun was setting, and the skies were getting darker. Cool breeze began to blow, making my hair swirl around me.

"Alice told us."

I turned to see Jasper smiling sympathetically at me. He joined me at the railing. "Tough day?"

I blew out a sigh. "I don't know where this is going to go, Jasper. I'm just…I don't know what I was thinking when I told him I wanted a divorce. It's just…everything's so complicated now. I don't want to deal with it anymore."

He nodded. "Marriage can be like that. People get into ruts…others can have affairs…and in some cases like yours, one gets tired of the life they are living in."

I snorted. "Which one do you think you and Alice will have? Because trust me, those couples who are happily married, I feel like that's just one percent of all married people."

He chuckled. "I don't think Alice and I will have to deal with separation. We're already learning a lot from you and Edward's relationship right now."

"Good to know."

He glanced at me. "Have you thought that…maybe…you didn't try hard enough?"

I smiled. "People say that to me a lot. Was it really that obvious? That I didn't try hard enough?"

He shook his head. "I didn't mean to sound so blunt. I mean, anyone can see that you love him. Just…not…in that way."

I nodded thoughtfully. "I suppose. I didn't want to admit it for the past few years. But thinking back on it now…you're right. I don't think I tried hard enough."

"And I think that's okay, Bella."

I looked at him, surprised. "What?"

He shrugged. "I'm not saying that it was okay you didn't try to try. I think both sides should contribute and try hard to lead a successful marriage. What I mean is, I think it's okay that you don't love him in that way. Hey, people don't marry all the time for love. There's money, fame, and in your case, you wanted to help Edward. I think…that was really brave of you. I've always admired you for that. Being able to make the choice…thinking everything through. You trashed what could've been in your life, and you chose Edward. And…to want freedom…I think that's not so unfair. You deserve it."

I felt relieved. At least someone understood my perspective. "Alice didn't seem to agree with me."

"I don't always agree with Alice," Jasper said. "I'm human too. I have my own opinion. I may not choose to express it sometimes because I know Alice will blow her top if I do, but I do think things through."

I laughed softly. "Well, that's nice to know. At least someone understands my perspective." I paused. "Do you think I'm doing the right thing though?" I shook my head. "I felt like I was doing the right thing, asking for a divorce. But now…I'm not so sure.

"The thing about people telling me that I didn't try hard enough…it got me thinking. Maybe I should give it another try. I should try harder, then make a decision. Can I endure this or not? Can I withstand the pressure?

"I know Edward was extremely frustrated with me holding back these past few years. I can't blame him. I didn't let him have all of me. Even though I chose marriage over the potential I could've had in my life, I was still resisting. I felt as though it wasn't right, a marriage done for business. A deal was the reason I became bound to Edward."

I closed my eyes. My shoulders slumped slightly. "I resented that deal so much. Why did he have to promise that? To find a girl in a year, a girl he wanted to be with. Why did it have to be me? Why me? That's what I thought.

"In some ways, I'm grateful. Flattered. I knew a lot of women would kill to be in my place. And if word got out that I was considering divorce, they would probably point their fingers and curse at me. But they don't know, Jasper. They don't know what I had to go through. They don't know the risks…the responsibility and pressure… If they knew, they can't do this to me. Even Alice and Esme…they can never know."

Jasper had been quiet throughout my speech. He looked quite thoughtful as he stared up at the darkening sky. Finally, he nodded. "I understand. You're perspective…I can see it. I know how you feel."

"Do you?" I smiled bitterly. "I'm all alone, Jasper. No one will help me. People won't understand. They'll just throw a bunch of insults at me. My family are just going to beg for me give our marriage another chance. My parents are going to leave me alone to deal with this on my own.

"Maybe I shouldn't have chosen this life. Back then, I was naïve and young, yet, I knew the risks. I knew that I would regret this someday, but I still chose to go through it. And sure enough, five years later, here I am, regretting it so much. If I could just…turn back time…I would tell him no. I would insist upon him finding some other girl to do the job."

Jasper grinned suddenly. "Bella, I appreciate you telling me all this. And truly, I liked the fact that you opened up to me. But I think…I think you should talk this out with your husband, not me."

He turned to leave, and as he stepped back inside, I was surprised to see Edward slip out from the shadows.

"How…how long have you been listening?" I asked.

Edward took Jasper's place. "A while."

The atmosphere grew awkward. I stared at a red tulip below us. "I'm sorry."

He didn't look at me. "For?"

"For everything," I said softly. "I've been a bad wife, I know. I should've done better."

He shook his head, smiling slightly. "Bella, you've been a wonderful wife. You've done the best you can to support me. That's more than I could've asked for. More than I deserved."

I felt wrong. I felt really bad. I knew I was hurting him. He wasn't saying anything, but I knew he was in pain.

"But…I was always away," I said quietly. "I was always trying to escape this place, where I belonged. I was holding back on you. I didn't want to be…what I had to be."

"Which is why you escaped to Hollywood and became an actress," Edward agreed. "I understand, Bella. I know. I knew, every time you left, that you still weren't opening up to me. And while that pained me, I couldn't help but be selfish and keep you by my side as my wife. And then, there was you, always speaking highly of me when someone asked about me.

"It wasn't only you who felt guilty, Bella. I've always lived with guilt too. Even though you made the decision to live with me, I felt guilty that I pressed you too hard. I'd known that it wasn't what you wanted, but I was selfish. I wanted you. In the end, my selfishness won over your resistance, and you became mine. But I never felt right about that. I always felt that you wouldn't be mine until you made the choice to truly come to me. To finally be able to love me like I love you." His voice was soft when he said the last few words.

I grew still. "How can you still love me?" I whispered. "How can you love someone like me?"

"How can you care for someone like me?" he countered. "It's not the same thing, but close. Caring for me is harder. Especially since you don't feel the same way as I do."

It was silent. I didn't respond. I didn't know what to say. Our relationship had gotten so awkward and tense, and even as we tried to talk it out, even as we understood each other's perspectives, we were growing further apart.

Finally, I said, "What did you think about Dr. Webster?"

Edward smiled my favorite crooked smile, though it didn't reach his eyes. "I thought he was a bit full of himself."

"I thought he was a bit crazy," I said. "Insane."

"Edward, Bella!" Esme called from inside the house. "Dinner!"

We didn't move. I was so immersed into my thoughts, so taken away with it that I didn't want to do anything else. I wanted to keep thinking through my options…until I made my decision.

But perhaps I'd already made one. It really wasn't fair of me to decide on a divorce so quickly, especially since I didn't try very hard.

I looked up at Edward's tall figure. He was gazing straight ahead, his eyes distant. He was somewhere else at the moment.

How could I possibly hurt this man? This wonderful, handsome man who had been nothing but kind to me? He had given me all his love without a moment of hesitation, had waited for me patiently, and had given me the comfort and luxury of a working wife? I couldn't do it. I had to give it another try.

"Edward," I said uncertainly. "I know…I wasn't fair, asking you for a divorce. It was very thoughtless of me to just decide on it so quickly, without hearing you out first."

Edward looked wary, unsure of where I was going.

I took a deep breath. "And it's only fair that I try to give it my all. So…I'll take back everything I said about a divorce. I want to…I want to try again."

His eyes lightened up, so brightly that I felt another pang in my chest. Damn. How could I _ever_ hurt this man?

"Do you mean it, Bella?" Edward murmured softly. "Are you serious about this?"

"Yes, I'm serious," I sighed. "Give me another chance, Edward. I'll try harder." I smiled slightly. "Make me fall in love with you, handsome."

His lips slowly spread out into a happy grin, and he stepped toward me to give me a tight, yet warm hug. "Thank you, Bella," he said softly. "Thank you."

I raised my arms and hugged him back. He was so much bigger than I was that it made me feel like a little child. I felt warm and comfortable in his arms, like I'd always been.

"I love you," he whispered, like a caress.

I closed my eyes and relaxed into his arms.

Why had I never noticed? The way my heart had always fluttered when he said those three simple words?

* * *

**AN: What'd you think? She's giving herself another chance! Leave me lots of love!**


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